Monsters and Mysteries
by VioletDream13
Summary: Hannah left England to move to Forks after there is a change in her family's plans. Soon after arriving, a certain Jasper Cullen catches her eye and she is left puzzling over him. But when a dramatic change in her life occurs, she is drawn closer to him . (Set during Eclipse) Bella is OOC, so are some of the others. ;) Please R&R! (Re-Write!)
1. A Fresh Start

**Chapter 1**

I didn't have a problem with moving. It was an opportunity for me and my family to start fresh and perhaps change for the better. Thinking back, it only seems like it was yesterday when my Father came rushing home. He burst through the door practically singing about his BIG surprise. His boss had offered him a promotion in the company, however it would require him transferring to their branch in Forks, America. Apparently, he had agreed without hesitation, and the events that followed led us all to be travelling down this road towards our new home.

Initially I had been upset, a completely natural reaction when you have just been told you are going to be moving half way across the world. That you have to leave all your friends and family behind as well as your childhood home. What made it worse was the fact that we would be moving right after my 17th birthday. However, upon reflection whilst I was packing up all my belongings, I realised that remaining upset would not change anything, and instead I should support my Dad as best I can.

"Hannah? Hannah?"  
I lift my head from where it is rested against the window. "Hmm?"  
"Your mother and I were just saying how great this is going to be, wouldn't you agree?" my Dad asks. "Yeah, it's cool." I reply, returning my head to its previous position.

The woods visible outside are vast, we have been driving past them for several miles now. It's rather incredible, I have never seen so many trees in one place before. The middle of London, where I previously lived, didn't exactly contain a plethora of wild life. It was only ever on school trips that I got to experience places like woods and I loved them so much that my teachers couldn't keep me away!

The next time I was stirred from my thoughts was when the car pulled into a driveway. Our new driveway. I exited the car and only then could I see the entirety of the house. It was fairly large and directly opposite the woods, but it wasn't much to shout about. The garden was covered in overgrowing weeds, the outside paint was peeling and the path leading up to the house was cracked.

"Here we are then, home sweet home."  
I groan at my Father's comment. "Dad..."  
"What?"  
"We aren't one of those happy families that you see in films."  
My Dad chuckles "I'm sorry, but temptation overtook me." I simply roll my eyes in response.  
Mum takes this opportunity to speak. "Now now dear, don't get stroppy."

I ignore her.

"Well, it might look a bit run down now, but I'll have it looking lavish by September!" Dad cries out. You cannot help but admire his determination.

Once we had looked around inside, they allowed me to choose which room I wanted. I can only assume that it was their way of trying to make it up to me. Selfishly, I chose the biggest. Some of its features are a small walk in wardrobe, large window and window seat as well as a perfect view of the woods.  
Not only that but Dad kept to his word to. He spent the remainder of the summer working on the house, leaving me to decorate my room. In the end all I did was put up some posters and fairly lights, but Dad went all out. He successfully tamed the garden by planting flowers and removing the mass of weeds. Admittedly, the weather in Forks isn't exactly in the flower's favour, but Dad was adamant to keep them. He also re-painted the front of the house, cleaned the windows and cleared the gutter. As for the inside, well, he went a bit mad. We had all new carpets fitted, new wallpaper, curtains, furniture, soft furnishings, the lot! He really went to town on the whole thing, and Mum and I were very impressed.

The night before my first day at Forks High School, Dad came up to see me in my room.

"Hey, Hannah?" He says, poking his head around the door.  
"Hey Dad." I reply with a smile. "Is everything okay?"  
"Just checking to see if you have everything you need tomorrow."  
"You do realise Mum wouldn't let me go unless I had absolutely everything I could possibly need." "Yes but..."  
"Don't worry, Dad, I'll be fine."  
"I know, I know. I can't help but worry though, I know it isn't easy starting new at a school." He says sympathetically. "Um, also, I won't be here in the morning and neither will Mum."  
"Oh, okay." I say, shrugging it off.  
"I obviously have work and your Mother has some job interviews to go to."  
"That's fine Dad, I don't mind."  
"Okay, night then." "Night Dad."

After he closed the door I listened, waiting until I had heard him go downstairs. Then I changed into my nightwear: a plain black t-shirt and turquoise shorts. I pull out a book from my travel bag and begin to read it, but eventually I become a victim of sleep.

* * *

 ***The next morning***

I awake to find sunlight pouring into my room through my curtains. My alarm went off on time, meaning it was time to brave the first day at my new school. Great. Stretching out my arms I sit up. My book had fallen to the floor in the night, so I lean over to pick it up and flatten the pages. After that I drag myself out of bed and wander over to my wardrobe, wondering what to wear. I want to avoid drawing attention to myself as well as the possibility of being judged based on the clothes I wear. I go for something I consider to be casual: a grey vest with a matching over the shoulder woollen jumper, blue skinny jeans and brown Ugg boots. I brush and curl my hair, apply minimal make up and then grab my school bag. As I rush to the front door I quickly seize some toast on my way through the kitchen and then finally make it outside to my new car.

 ***Flashback***

My parents had made me wait for my 17th birthday present. This waiting period had been extended by the move, so in the end it was weeks late. I'd known something was up from the moment I had awoken. Both my parents had stirred me from my slumber, and once I had made it downstairs I realised they had cooked my favourite breakfast: pancakes. How could I not be suspicious?

It got even weirder when they led me outside, in my nightwear, whilst covering my eyes.

"Come on, come on! Hurry up!" My Mother insisted.  
"My eyes are covered; I can't exactly run!" I reply, trying not to lose my balance.  
"Now Hun, it is her present so be nice." Dad says.  
"Can't you just tell me what it is?" I ask.  
"No, of course not!" They both say.  
"I thought so." I mumble.  
"Here it is!"

I open my eyes and see a new car parked on our drive. Of course, I was still half asleep so I didn't quite process the situation correctly.

"Okay, why did you bring me out here in the cold, to show me your new car?"  
"Silly girl, it isn't ours-" Mother starts to answer.  
"So why is it parked on our drive?"  
Mum sighs in response, a sort of irritated sigh. "It's yours Hannah!"  
"Oh. Ohhh!" My eyes grow wide in excitement. "Oh wow, thank you!" I cry, hugging them both.

 ***End of flashback***

I start up the engine and pull off the drive. I already know the way to school because Mother essentially forced me to learn the route beforehand. It isn't too far away either, so the drive is short and peaceful.

 ***Time skip***

"Hi there! I'm Eric!"  
I snap out of my daydream. "Oh, hello." I say, looking up to the boy in front of me.  
"You're Hannah, yeah?" he asks.  
"Yes, that's correct."  
"Great! So if you need anything: tour guide, study partner, lunch date? Then I'm happy to uh-"  
I interrupt him. "Thanks, but I prefer to be on my own."  
"Oh, sure. Well, see you later."  
"Yeah, bye um..."

 _Shit, what was his name?_

"Eric." He prompts.  
"Eric! Sorry." Not the best start, forgetting someone's name within five seconds.

He smiles and then leaves me. Already it is lunchtime, and today has been alright. My lessons currently seem slightly easier than those I had in London, but that might easily change. So far, most people have been one of two extremes. They either run to me like I'm their best friend, or avoid me completely.  
One girl, Bella Swan, has so far been nice. I sit next to her in a few of my classes and since we both like to be alone, it seems to work for us. In fact, I am currently sitting with her for lunch.

"Don't worry, he won't be offended." Bella reassures me. "How are you finding your first day anyway?" She asks.  
"It's okay I suppose."  
"It gets better, honestly."  
"Does it?" I ask in disbelief.  
"Yeah, I mean I was the new girl once too, so I should know." She says with a laugh.

 **'Ring Ring'**

"That's the bell for end of lunch." Bella explains, collecting her things.  
"What's your next lesson?"  
Quickly I check my timetable. "Art."  
"Great, I'll show you where it is."  
"Thanks Bella."

* * *

"So..How was the dreaded first day?" Dad asks, perching on the end of my bed. I am sitting cross legged in front of him, highlighting some work from today.

"Fine."  
"Fine? That's it? That's all you are willing to disclose?"  
"What more do you want Dad?"  
"Well how are the lessons? Students? Uh, food?"  
"Easy, strange, and don't know. I avoided the food."

He rolls his eyes at me before saying goodnight and departing. Just as he leaves my laptop pings with a new message from Bella. I decide to leave it and instead clear my bed of stuff and dive under the duvet. Since I was not set any homework, I may as well make the best of what little sleep I can get.


	2. New Faces

Chapter 2 

Despite only having lived in Forks for a few weeks now, I've already deduced that the weather is very much the same as England. I.e., the sunshine is somewhat limited edition. So I wasn't particularly surprised when the weather turned from sunny skies yesterday, to a complete downpour today.

As usual, Mum and Dad have already left the house. They both leave early in order to get to work, which doesn't bother me in the slightest. It means I can wander around the house in pyjamas and not end up being lectured about it by Mum.

I decide to make myself breakfast before I get dressed, and so venture downstairs to the kitchen. Annoyingly, the cupboards are still bare as a result of no one carrying out a proper food shop yet. Dad has been too busy decorating, and Mum apparently 'hasn't gotten round to it yet'. We've been eating loads of take-aways and living off of food bought from quick trips down to the corner shop.

Sighing, I trudge back upstairs. I didn't need breakfast anyway. The only downside to no breakfast is that I will probably have to brave the canteen food today at lunch, and I'm not sure if I am ready to face that.

After a quick shower I dress myself in a turquoise blouse, black skinny jeans and a grey zip-up hoodie. My red converses find their way onto my feet, and before I know it I have hold of my bag and I'm walking out of the door. By some miracle I manage to miss picking up my coat from right next to the door and so I kind of drown in the few seconds it takes me to reach my car. So I whack on the heating at full blast before starting the engine and pulling out of the drive.

 ***At School***

As I drive around the school car park I wonder where Bella has parked her truck. Unable to locate it, I pull into the nearest space and sigh. Yesterday she had described to me what her truck looks like, and told me that I could park next to it whenever I want. But it isn't here today, so why would she bother telling me about it?

Shrugging it off I leg it inside. I have just enough time to quickly dash to my locker and retrieve my books as well as dump my hoodie. My first lesson is History, a subject I enjoy. It is one of the few lessons that I don't have with Bella. Not only that but it is also the only lesson where I have a desk all to myself. Currently I am learning about Civil Wars, a topic I don't find particularly thrilling. My low opinion of it isn't helped by the fact that at the end of the lesson we are set a 2000-word essay.

I discovered why Bella had not arrived in her truck during lunch.

I joined the lunch queue reluctantly, only picking out a small salad and some juice. I then sat down at the nearest empty table. When I caught sight of Bella, she was walking into the canteen hand in hand with a boy I had not seen before. Following them, a blonde girl holding hands with a rather intimidating looking boy. I hadn't seen them before either. I had watched them seat themselves by a window, and taken note of how almost everyone in the room had turned to view them. Not understanding why, I turn my focus to taking out one of my History books from my bag and reading that. I can only assume that Bella was using me as a distraction yesterday, and would much rather prefer to be with them.

Out of nowhere, Bella appeared next to me. "Hey, Hannah? I haven't seen you all day."

I shut my book and lay it on the table, then look across to her. "No. I didn't see your truck this morning so..." I trail off.  
"Oh yeah, I meant to say-"  
"Don't worry about it."  
"It's just," She sighs, "I normally come to school with them." She explains.  
"Oh."  
"Sorry. It's just that he's my boyfriend and-"  
"Oh really? And here I was thinking you had just grabbed a boy from the corridor and refused to let go." I reply sarcastically but with a smile. Her mouth opens slightly in surprise and she lightly slaps me on the arm but laughs after.  
"Okay, okay. Want to meet them?" She asks.  
"Seriously Bella? I don't even know them."  
"You know me. Besides, I want you to meet Edward."  
"Oh he has a name now?" I tease.  
She laughs again, "Shut up Hannah."  
"Well you know I'd love to but I need to go to the Library now anyway so-"  
"Okay, I'll let you off today. But tomorrow..." She trails off, pretending to hint that there will be consequences if I dodge it again.  
I hold my hands up in surrender. "Okay fine, but only to shut you up."  
She smiles, well grins really, "Deal."

I stuff my book in my bag and take one last sip of my drink, then head to the canteen exit. Before I leave, I briefly glance back to Bella, who has returned to the others. They look like they are talking, and I wonder if they are talking about me.

The rest of the day whirls past me. I don't focus on much at all in lessons, daydreaming my way through all of them.

 ***A few hours later***

"Mum! I'm heading out for a bit!" I shout up the stairs.  
"Where?" My Mother calls back.  
"Um, out with friends!"  
"Who?"  
"Bella!"  
"Okay, be back by 10!"

I leave the house and go straight for the woods, hoping my Mother isn't watching me leave. I'm not really meeting with Bella, I only made that up to ensure my Mother would let me out. She doesn't like it when I go out on my own, despite my age.

I'm planning to find a spot in the woods to do some work. I work best when I am alone and I find comfort in the woods, so it should be ideal. I don't wander too far into the woods for fear of getting lost, and although my curfew is 10, I won't be out that late. It gets dark far too early for that.

Eventually, I do find somewhere to settle in the woods, a hole within a rather large tree trunk. It is comfortable, dry and has enough space for both me and my books. I find the woods weird though, the noises don't seem normal. Although there is the usual sound of rustling leaves and twigs snapping, I could also hear noises that seemed...unnatural. The sound of wolves howling, and in the distance, the sound of something moving at great speed.

* * *

"How was it?" Mum asks as she quietly enters my room, flinching at both the mess on the floor and the mass of posters on the walls.  
"Fine." I reply, not giving anything away.  
She walks across my room so that she can see out of my window. "What did you do?"  
"I went to her house, and we studied."  
"Oh, I thought you went out. Like partying or something."  
"This is Forks Mum, not enough people live here to through a decent party."  
She sighs. "Yes, I suppose that's true." She remains awkwardly standing there for a minute.  
"Um, Mum? I would like to sleep." I say, breaking the silence.  
"Oh, right yes." She walks back to the door. "I do wish you'd decorate your room properly instead of having all these silly pictures."  
"My room, my rules." I say somewhat sternly.  
"I know dear, I know." With that, she closes the door and leaves.

I reach out for my laptop and check my emails.

 **Hannah,  
Sorry bout lunch today :'(  
I'll make it up to you don't worry! And hey, did you get what the Art H/W was? I missed it.  
soz  
Bella ;) **

**Bella,  
Srsly I don't mind. loners r us is me anyway. And i didn't want to ruin your lunch with your boyfriend and his mates.  
btw, you didn't pick up the h/w cause we didn't get any.  
Hannah :/ **

**Hannah,  
They're his family not his mates ;P  
I'll explain tomoz when I put my plan in place!  
Bella **xx

 ***Next Day***

"Hannah!"

I take out my headphones and look around. I see that Bella is approaching me, waving her hand to gain my attention. Edward is with her, looking attentive.

When she is in ear shot I reply, "Oh, hey Bella." with a smile.

I'm leaning against my car waiting for classes to start. It isn't sunny, but the rain has stopped for now, leaving Forks cloudy and murky. This morning I had decided to wear a 3/4 length grey top with a purple vest underneath, black skinny jeans, my Ugg boots and a thin black jacket. I had even made the effort to curl my hair this morning, wearing it loose, as well as applying smoky eye shadow and black eyeliner in addition to my normal minimal make up.

"Hannah, this is Edward." She introduces, looking up to him briefly and then back to me.  
"Hello, it's nice to properly meet you." As Edward greet me, I notice that he is maintaining constant eye contact with me. His eyes are like daggers, carving into my head and dissecting my mind.  
"Hi." I reply.  
"Bella has told me a lot about you." He tells me, still maintaining that soul stirring eye contact. I shoot Bella a look, mouthing the word 'why'. She simply pretends to ignore it and insists we go to class. Only then does Edward break the eye contact so that he can face Bella.

As they walk towards the main building with their fingers entwined, I trail behind. I even try to leave some distance so as not to invade their personal space. We part in the hallway, knowing that we have no lessons together until after lunch. As usual, I go to my locker, ditch my jacket and grab my books.

In class, I easily lose focus and find myself thinking over what Bella had said in her email last night, about having something planned. Then I start to think about Edward, processing our earlier meeting. He seemed nice enough, perhaps a bit formal. He looked 17, and, if I remember correctly, about as pale as Bella. The one thing odd about him was his determination to keep eye contact with me. Personally, I don't believe it to be a very normal thing to do.

The next time I see Bella is in the corridor on the way to canteen, and this time, she isn't glued to Edward.

"Hey." She greets.  
"Hi."  
"You okay?" She asks.  
I shrug my shoulders. "Fine. No Edward?" I inquire, purely to make conversation.  
"Oh, he'll meet us in the canteen." Bella says in an almost uncertain way. As if there is some mystery surrounding the situation.  
I groan, "Do I want to know why?"  
"Well..."  
"I'll take that as a no."  
Bella rolls her eyes at me, "Come on." She takes my wrist and drags me into the canteen.  
"Look, Bella, I really don't want to-" I start, but she gives me a stern look before I can finish. I huff and try a different tactic, "Well at least let me get something to eat."  
Reluctantly, she agrees. "Fine, but I'm staying with you so you don't try anything."  
"Oh joy." I reply sarcastically.

We join the queue for lunch. I pick out the smallest salad I can find, with the intentions of not being judged by Bella's group, and a bottle of orange juice to drink. Bella picks a sandwich and a fizzy drink. I find it odd how I've only known her for a few days and already she is introducing me to all of these people. Maybe she is just trying to be friendly, but I am socially awkward, so this is literally my worst nightmare.

"Ready?" She asks like we are about to jump out of a plane.  
"No."  
She ignores my answer. "Great, look they are over there."

Edwards and the other two were sat at the same table as yesterday, by the window. Two extra seats were ready and waiting for us on Edward's left. The intimidating looking boy was on Edward's right, and the blonde next to him. Bella goes up to them before me, talking to them quickly whilst I remain still. The boy then looks to me and smiles, however the blonde girl looks largely unimpressed.

Bella comes back to me. "Okay so you know Edward, that's Emmet, and that's Rosalie." She points out each one.  
My sarcasm kicks in again. "You know; I would've guessed by the names."

Edward stands up and comes over to us. He begins talking to Bella in a whisper, but I can hear him. My hearing is one of my greatest assets.

"Bella, don't force her."  
"I'm not."  
"Yes, you are. Perhaps it's better if we just let her come to us."  
"Edward..."  
"Please, Bella."  
Bella sighs. "Okay."

He leaves and returns to the table, starting up a conversation with Emmet.

Bella turns to face me with a look of slight annoyance but mainly guilt. "Hannah, I'm sorry. I have forced you haven't I?"  
"It's fine Bella, really."  
"So, can I ask a favour?"  
"Go on..."  
"Instead of sitting with all of us, myself and Edward will sit with you." She suggests, although there was no mention of that to Edward a minute ago.  
"Just you and Edward?" I confirm.  
"Yep, and not even for the whole of lunch, just some of it. You'll still have space then."  
I think it over for a second and nod. "Yes, I would prefer that. Thank you Bella." I say with a smile. "I don't think Rosalie likes me anyway." I add, laughing a little to clear the air.  
She laughs as well, "Yeah, she was like that with me too."


	3. Partner Project

Chapter 3

My first week at Forks High School turned out much better than expected, mainly because Bella kept to her promise. My days now go as follows: in the mornings, I meet with her and Edward in order to chat for a few minutes before class. Then, I either see Bella in my morning lessons or not until lunch. During lunch, Bella and Edward wait until I finish my food before coming over to sit with me. It works for us and it seems that Edward doesn't mind not spending all of his lunch with his siblings, who I now know are all the adoptive children of Dr Cullen.

But on Monday, the beginning of my second week, things changed.

 **'BEEP BEEP'**

"Ugh" I groan.

I reach out and turn off my alarm. I spent most of the night exchanging English notes with Bella via email. We didn't stop until the early hours of the morning, and that was only because I begged her to let me go to bed.

I roll over, expecting there to be more bed. There isn't, so I fall out of bed with a **'Thud'**. I sit up, rubbing my head soothingly. Once I have my bearings, I quickly shower and dress. Today's outfit is a short sleeved white t-shirt, dark blue jeans, brown boots and a grey scarf. After I dry my hair I pull into a mess bun, keeping my fringe straight and curling the loose strands. I just about have enough time to slap on some make up before I have to dash out of the house, grabbing my stylish, brown leather jacket on the way out.

 ***At school***

"Hello, Hannah."  
I look up from my phone and see that Edward has approached me. "Oh, Edward. Hi. Where's Bella?" I ask, feeling a bit uncomfortable with just him being here.  
"Bella is already inside. She needed to see one of her teachers before class." He explains.  
"Thanks."

I hurry away from him to my locker. Today is colder than usual, so I decide to keep my jacket and scarf on.

* * *

As I stand in the queue for lunch I keep an eye out for Bella. I didn't have any lessons with her this morning, so I haven't seen her at all yet today. Once I've picked out a bottle of juice and an apple for my lunch, I take a seat at a nearby empty table. Then I take out both my notebook and my Maths textbook. Propping up the textbook so it looks like I'm working, I start to doodle.

Had I not looked up at that exact moment, perhaps everything would have stayed the same...

I notice Bella walking into the canteen with Edward. As per normal, Emmett and Rosalie were following closely behind them. But, there was someone else following them. Someone new. A boy with honey blonde hair, longer than most boy's, falling in locks around his face.

Quickly, I turn my head away, not wanting to be caught staring at this new, mysterious boy.

"Hannah? Hey, Hannah? You awake?"  
The sudden voice rouses me from my thoughts. Both Bella and Edward have appeared next to me. I quickly shut my notebook, hiding my drawings. "Oh, sorry Bella."  
"Why are you so far away? Something on your mind?" She asks, winking at Edward. He smirks at her and then looks away, shaking his head. Without saying anything more they leave me to re-join the others, and I can see Edward making conversation with the new boy.

I try to distract myself from them by looking around the canteen. However, before I can stop them, my eyes wander back over to that table, and the boy. I hadn't noticed before, but he is staring at me. For a brief moment, our eyes meet. The contact is so intense and overwhelming that I quickly break it. Unfortunately for me, every time I look back at him, I find that he is still staring at me. Each time with the same look. I cannot decide whether I like it or not.

 **'Ring Ring'**

Sighing, I collect my things, bin my rubbish and head to History. If I remember correctly, we are starting a new topic today. Unfortunately, I think it involves a partner project, something I am really not comfortable with.

My teacher greets me as I enter her class, "Good Afternoon Hannah."  
I force a smile, "Afternoon Miss." I reply as I wind my way between the desks to my usual seat at the back.

It was at that moment that _he_ walks in.

"Ah, Jasper, you're finally back I see." The teacher says.

 _Oh, so that's his name._

He nods in response.

"Right, well, your seat is right where you left it."

Immediately I scan the room, searching for any spare seats that might belong to him. Of course it's just my luck that the only spare seat in the room is the one next to me.

 _I get it, normally he would be the one on his own, but now I am here._

My initial reaction is to shrink down in my seat, but I then think better of it and instead sit up straighter than normal. He walks between the desks until he reaches mine. Well, actually I guess it is his. It's odd, he moves with much more grace than any other boy I have seen at this school so far. Before he sits down I manage to swiftly glance up at him and see that his face appears void of all emotion. When he sits down he slouches slightly and sticks his right leg out to the side. Whilst our teacher goes on about the new project, I find myself distracted again. Most of my thoughts are occupied with the boy sitting next to me, something that needs to stop. I just don't seem able to ignore him. Even now, out of the corner of my eye I am watching him take notes. He only does it occasionally. When he isn't taking notes, he focuses on me, as if he is studying me. Although, I could be wrong because I can only see him from a side angle.

Shaking my head to rid me of my thoughts, I try to tune back in to the teacher.

"So as I was saying, this project will be due in on the first week back after the holiday. You will have lessons to work on it but you will need to do some work outside of school. And, you will be working with the person you're sat next too."

Out of nowhere, a load roar of noise starts up from the class. Everyone else has chosen who they've sat next to, they are with their friends. But me? I get lumbered with the silent stalker. Well, there goes any possible enthusiasm I could have for this project.

"Right that's the end of class. See you all tomorrow." Our teacher dismisses us. Jasper springs out of his seat, but takes a moment to look down at me and smirk before leaving. I pause, waiting before I get up to follow. I make sure to keep plenty of distance between us, which allows me to watch as he joins Edward and the others. As for me, I trudge back to my car, leaving school on my own.

* * *

 **'Ping'**

 **You ok? We haven't spoke in like ages?  
Anyway me and Edward have to study for english so we thought you could join us?  
Bella :) **

**It's only been like 1 day since we spoke! not even that...  
I would come round but i'm not in your English group :/  
Hannah. **

**'Ping'**

 **No I know that!  
I meant me and Edward can study English...and you and Jazz can do History!  
Bella :P **

**Look that really isn't neccasary...wait does Jasper live with Edward?  
Hannah o-0 **

**'Ping'**

 **Yeah. Jazz is also one of Carlisle's adoptive children  
Bella ;) **

**Fine, tell me where and when  
Hannah :) **

**'Ping'**

 **Cullen's house, Tomoz. I'll pick you up at 4 k?  
Bella XD **

**kay  
Hannah**

* * *

I sit on the edge of the sofa, wearing my school bag over my shoulder. My knowledge of study parties is purely from films as I have never been to one before. So, I know that not much studying gets done.  
Bella had not long emailed again, informing me that she was forcing me to sleep over at the Cullen's house with her. They have a spare room that we can share and are apparently fine with it, even though they have never met me before. Therefore, as well as my History books and assorted school stuff, I also have my wash bag, curlers, pyjamas and a change of clothes for tomorrow.

I have my hair loose and it falls down in waves against my back. Today's outfit is a purple t-shirt and ripped blue skinny jeans, with a long black cardigan over the top, a purple scarf for warmth and my brown ankle boots. My makeup, as usual, is minimum. Just enough to accentuate the features of my face.  
Maybe it is just the thought of having to work with Jasper, but considering it is only a study party at the Cullen's house, I seem weirdly nervous.

Apparently no one ever goes there except Bella.

 **'Knock Knock'**

I grab my bag and go to answer the door. Bella greets me, looking as casual as ever. "Ready?" She asks.  
"Yes, I have everything." I reply with a smile.  
"For the studying and the sleep over?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay, great." She smiles. "Carlisle and Esme have gone on a business trip for a few days so the house is ours."  
Oh dear, I should have guessed that the parents wouldn't be there. "Right, okay."  
"Let's go!" Bella says excitedly, leading me out to her truck.

 ***A few minutes later***

"Here we are."

We pull up outside the Cullen's house. It is located in the woods, quite far in. It is a very big, open house, with many large windows, that looks very spacious yet homely. The driveway is empty, so we park there.

Once I am out of Bella's truck I can get an even better look at it. "Wow, it's not what I expected."  
Bella chuckles, "No, I thought that when I first saw it too."

We retrieve our bags from the back and I follow Bella as she walks inside. Everything is very clean, so clean that you might think no one actually lives here. She leads me to the room we're staying in and we drop off our sleepover stuff, but keep hold of our school books. Then I follow Bella back downstairs into the lounge where Edward and Jasper are waiting for us.

Edward gets up from his seat and approaches us. "Bella, good, you're finally here. Hello Hannah." He greets.  
"Hi Edward."  
"Would you like a drink?" He offers.  
"No thank you." I politely decline.  
"Bella?"  
"I'm good Edward." She smiles and he nods, then they both go over to the sofa and sit down opposite Jasper. I, on the other hand, am too distracted by the beautiful view of the forest.  
Edward's voice brings me back to reality, "Hannah, you can sit down."  
"Hm? Oh, sorry." I move to go to the sofa, but find that the only seat I can take is next to Jasper. No way am I sitting there, so instead I just awkwardly stand there looking back out at the surrounding forest.  
Bella looks up to me. "What's up?"  
"Nothing, it's just, this house is so close to the trees..." I trail off, not sure what else to say.

Bella looks to Edward. He whispers in her ear, then they both look to me. "Okay, you can have 10 minutes." Bella says.

I smile at the both of them before hastily making my way to the balcony. I slide open the door and climb up the closest tree. Strategically, I make my way from tree to tree until the house behind me is in the distance. Only then do I stop, standing on a branch, and lean against the tree trunk.

I don't know how much time passes, but where there was once peace and quiet, there is suddenly a voice breaking the silence.

"You know; we have a project to begin."


	4. Sleepover

Chapter 4

The pure surprise and shock of the sudden voice was enough to make me jump. But before I react, I lose my balance on the branch. Instinctively I try to grab onto something to save myself, but I'm not quick enough and the branches slip through my fingertips. Plummeting towards the ground, I attempt to scream, but only a gasp escapes my lips. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to brace myself for the impact.

Falling, falling...

But what I feel next is not the hard forest floor. Instead, I feel something hooked under both my arms and knees. No surging pain, no agony? A soft landing?

Slowly, I open my eyes. The first thing I see is a pair of golden eyes looking down at me. Somehow, Jasper had managed to catch me from my fall and is now holds me in a bridal position.

"How did you-?" I try to question, but my voice comes out as barely a whisper.

He gently places me back on my feet. "I don't believe we have properly met yet. I'm Jasper." He introduces. Already I can tell that he has an accent, like some kind of twang in his voice. I'm not sure where it is from though.

"I'm," My voice is still hoarse and quiet so I clear my throat before carrying on. "I'm Hannah." Our eyes meet again but I quickly look away. I hate the way he continually looks at me.  
"Well, Hannah, we should head back."  
I nod in agreement. "Okay."

We head back to the house, remaining silent the entire time.

Once inside, I realise that Edward and Bella have disappeared from the lounge, "Where are Bella and Edward?" I ask, not really wanting to be left alone with Jasper.  
He appears behind me, "They went out to get some things, they'll be back soon."  
I shrug my shoulders, "Fine." I reply, trying to seem casual about it. I get my book and sit on the sofa. Jasper does the same and sits opposite me. We both start to read our books, although I'm certain that Jasper is just using it as an excuse to look at me.

Once I have read the necessary pages at least twice I put the book down and begin to take down notes. After what seems like an age, I finally hear the front door go, followed by the voices of Bella and Edward. If ever there was a time to say 'hallelujah', it was now.

Bella bounces over to me. "Hey Hannah, all done?"  
I shut my book, "I didn't really start."  
Bella shrugs, "Fair enough."

* * *

"Right, you boys wait here and choose a movie, we'll get into our pyjamas." Bella says, taking my arm and leading me upstairs to our temporary room. I hadn't noticed earlier, but the two beds in the room are made up of a double bed and a sofa bed.

"You can have the double Hannah."  
"Oh, Bella, I don't mind the sofa bed."  
"Well, I stay over often so..."  
I don't question it. Sighing, I give in, "Fine, I'll take the double."  
Bella grabs her stuff, "Right, I'll change in the bathroom. You good here?"  
I nod. "Yeah."

She leaves, but before she does she promises that she will knock before coming back in. I strip off my clothes and pull my pyjamas out from my bag. I had packed a purple lace strapped vest, with black shorts that reach half way down my thighs. I regret the decision now. Had I known the boys were staying in the house too I would've worn something much more...covering. Sighing, I change into the somewhat slutty outfit and decide I can do nothing about it now.

Bella knocks so I let her in. "Wow, nice jammies Hannah." She says in such a way that I can't tell if she's joking or not.  
"Bella, don't. I feel so stupid."  
"Don't worry. I mean, look at me!" She gestures to what she's wearing: a silk black nightgown that is slightly see through and barely reaches her knees. She winks and then grabs my wrist. "Come on, let's go back downstairs."

We both go back down to the boys, with Bella walking slightly ahead of me. When we reach the door to the lounge I hold back and watch as she goes over to Edward. He looks her up and down, smiles, and then allows her to curl up next to him. Taking a deep breath, I do my best to walk in normally. Bella smiles at me, whereas Edward doesn't even look up. I just about reach the seat I'm aiming for when Jasper looks up. He tries to focus his gaze on my eyes, but I can tell it's wandering downwards. I quickly sit down on the single chair next to the sofa and pull my knees up, keeping my eyes locked on the TV as the movie begins.

* * *

Last night's movie was okay. Edward and/or Jasper had chosen 'Dark Shadows'. Not one of my favourites but I do like the idea of vampires. Anyway, we went to bed in the early hours of the morning but I found my bed to be too soft, so I couldn't sleep.

I check my phone. It reads 6:00am. I sigh and put it down, then look over to Bella. "Bella? Bella are you awake?" I whisper.  
"Nnnn" She groans and rolls over.  
"I'll take that as a 'no'" I say to myself.

I pull back the duvet and slide out of the bed, quite literally as all the soft furnishings and duvet are silk. Carefully, I manoeuvre around Bella and retrieve my washbag, then go to the bathroom. Any make-up left from yesterday is removed and a fresh minimal look is applied. I also brush my teeth and hair before returning to my room. Slipping on a pair of jeans to keep warm I decide to go downstairs. No one else will be awake at this time.

First I go to the kitchen, but it appears to be just as bare as mine back home. The only food that I can find is the remains of what Bella and Edward bought yesterday. A mini muffin catches my eye, so I nibble on that as I walk over to the balcony. The door is closed but not locked, so I slide it open. Fresh, mild air immediately sweeps over me and I hop onto a tree branch, sitting with my legs dangling down.

"We're going to have to start calling you Tarzan."  
I spin my head around, almost losing my balance, but I manage to steady myself this time. "Oh. Hi Jasper." Of course it's him.  
"You're up early." He says, hopping up onto the branch and settling next to me.  
"I couldn't sleep."  
He raises an eyebrow, "Why? Was Bella snoring?" He chuckles at his own joke.

My response is not much more than a noise. Standing up, I dust myself off, take one look at him with a smirk and then begin to climb the tree. I swing and jump between trees until I have to stop and catch my breath. Assuming he had stayed by the house, I didn't expect to see him suddenly appear next to me.

"You're not that bad a climber." He remarks.  
I shrug my shoulders, "I can't be that good if you can keep up with me."  
"I'm fast." He replies with a smirk.  
There is a brief pause between us, then I get brave and decide to try and work this guy out. "Your accent, where is it-?"  
He cuts me off, "Texas."  
"I thought so." Which is of course a complete lie.  
"And you?" He asks.  
I sigh, "England."  
He looks to me, puzzled, "Is that a bad thing?"  
"Hey, my turn to ask you a question." He raises a questioning eyebrow. I think for a moment. "A question for an answer?" I propose.  
For a minute he seems to consider it, then he nods. "Deal."  
"Okay, so where were you the first week of school?" I ask.  
"Still on holiday. Why is England so bad?"  
"Not England, just London." I pause, thinking of my next question. Do I dare? "Why do you stare at me, like, intensely?"  
Jasper goes silent for a few minutes. Just as I start to think he isn't going to answer me he says, "I find you, intriguing."  
"Intriguing?"  
"Like a mystery, a mystery needing to be solved."

 _Is that good or bad?_

"Okay, well-" I start, but again he cuts me off.  
"Ah, ah. Play by your own rules, Hannah."

Instantly, without even thinking about it, I pout at him.

"Cute, but I have my own questions to ask. So, why is London so bad?"  
My expression turns more serious. "Well, many people believe that all who lives in London are upper class, posh, snobby rich people and..." I sigh, dropping my head to the floor, "That's not me."  
I feel Jasper tap me on the shoulder. I look up to him, "What?"  
"I bet I can get back to the house faster than you." He holds out his hand to me.  
I smile deviously at him. "You're on." Then take his hand only to push him out of the way as I begin the race back to the house. I just catch him muttering "Not one to play by the rules." to himself before he follows me.

Although I make it back first, I'm fairly certain Jasper let me win.

"Hannah! Where have you been?" Bella rushes to the balcony, looking panicked. Edward walks over at normal pace. Meanwhile, Jasper has joined me on the balcony.  
"Bella, I was only outside for a bit. Besides, what got you up? You were dead to the world when I woke up!" I notice both Edward and Jasper shooting me a look at the phrase 'dead to the world'. It makes me nervous, so I push past them and head upstairs to collect my things and properly dress.

I am just checking I have everything when Bella walks in. "Hey, you packed already?" She asks softly.  
"Yeah, I told my parents I'd be back fairly early." I lie.  
"Okay, I'll email you later then."  
"Okay." I nod.  
"I can drop you home." She offers.  
"No, it's not too far to walk."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes, Bella."  
"Okay, see you then."  
"Bye."

* * *

I don't go straight home, instead I stay in the trees for a bit. Well, a couple of hours really. I retrieve my notebook from my bag and write a little, draw some doodles and read over my 'work' from yesterday.

Eventually, I check the time on my phone and know that it is time to head home. My parents will only fuss. I re-pack my bag and begin the walk home.


	5. The Real Monster

Chapter 5

When I finally get home, both my parent's cars are parked on the drive. It's the first time in a while that they have both been home at a time like this, recently they have always been tied up with work. I knock on the door. No answer. I knock again. Still nothing. Weird. I take my keys out from my bag and use them instead. Once inside, I hang up my bag and coat in the hallway before walking into the kitchen.

"Hello? Mum? Dad? Are you home?" I call out. "Mum?! Are you in the garden?"

I shrug my shoulders and open the fridge. For once, it is almost full to the brim with food, so Mum must have been shopping whilst I was at the Cullen's. It takes me a few minutes to scan through everything and decide what I want, resulting in me taking a handful of strawberries. I then shut the fridge and pop a couple in my mouth.

"Trust Mum and Dad to go out without me." I mumble to myself.

Just as I make to wander into the lounge, I freeze.

 _Breath. Breath on my neck._

I feel frozen, fear shooting through my entire being. My legs feel weak, as if they have turned to jelly. All I manage to do is gasp.

"So, Mummy and Daddy do have a little girl. Excellent." An unknown voice speaks.

In response, my heartbeat rises as I start to panic. Feeling threatened, I try to struggle against the stranger's grip on me, but it's too tight.

"P-Please, what...what do you want?"  
"I have no time for talking with you, little girl." The voice snarls.  
That strikes a chord. "I am not a little girl!" I growl.

A sudden rush of adrenaline causes me to stamp as hard as I can on his foot. It surprises him enough that he loosens his grip on me, allowing me to wriggle free. I bolt for the front door. I almost make it but he manages to grasp hold of me again. His movements seem unnatural, super-fast and silent. His skin is icy cold, like death. He clutches my hair and drags me into the lounge despite me thrashing around, trying to escape. He forces me down onto the floor, still holding a fistful of my hair.

"Look, I left you a present." He says, sounding pleased.

He sharply tugs my hair, forcing me to look up. I scream. Right in front of me lie the bodies of my parents. Huge gashes have been ripped through their chests and stomachs. Their necks slashed. Limbs bruised. He must have put them through hell. Sickening. Despite all the anger boiling inside me, my body seems to opt for tears. Shock and despair. That's what I feel. Again I try thrashing around, using erratic movement in an attempt to get free. But the grip on my hair is insanely tight. He hauls me to my feet. I can feel him standing right behind me, his breath chilling my neck. My breathing becomes heavy, my heart races. The hand clutching my head pulls it to the side, whilst another grips my arm so tight it feels like it could break at any moment.

"I really hope you survive, you seem feisty." He says before biting into my neck.  
Pain starts to radiate from my neck. "You're, a v-vampire?"

He withdraws from my neck and spins me around to face him, my first time seeing him. He is tall, muscular. His hair is a dark blond, his eyes a vivid red.

"Welcome to the army." He smirks and drops me to the floor. "I'll be back to check on you soon." And then he disappears in a blur, leaving me lying next to my dead parents.

I lie there, motionless. Sobbing. I reach up to my neck, but before I reach it I sudden feel as though my neck is being burned. A scalding feeling spreads through me, one vein at a time. My sobs turn to screams, shrieks. My body goes spasms uncontrollably whist that scalding pain continues to work its way through my system. It feels like I am being burned alive, trapped, with flames dissolving my entire being. And the worst part?

I know it is only the dead who will hear my cries.

"Just...just let me die!" I manage to say before blacking out.

* * *

 ***3 days later***

Slowly, I open my eyes. The pain has finally dulled completely, and I can move again. No words can describe how I feel. Everything comes back to me in flashes as I realise I am now an orphan. I want to cry but can't. I want to shout and scream but don't have the energy. I push myself up to a sitting position. The first thing I see? My dead parents in front of me. I turn away. After dragging myself to my feet I take out my phone and call the emergency services, informing them of the murder and giving the address. After all of this, I cannot stay here. This isn't my home anymore.

I run upstairs and grab a backpack, stuffing it with my note book and school stuff, clothes, make up, and my favourite curlers. When I enter the bathroom for my toiletries, I catch a glimpse of myself. My eyes are blood red. For a moment, I can't help but stare at them. The monster I have become. All those years of thinking vampires were nothing more than fiction, and now I am one. A bloodsucker who kills and hunts like an animal. Shaking my head to clear my mind, I grab what I need and leave the bathroom. Then I leave the house.

"I'm a monster." I snarl. "I'm so thirsty." I say as I clutch my throat.

I sprint towards the woods. There is nowhere else I can go. I have no home, no family. If I go anywhere near humans, I might...kill them. I must stay away. Hide out in the woods and hope that I can find a way to deal with this. Or, if worst comes to worst, how I can destroy myself.

* * *

 ***At the Cullen's house***

"Carlisle? Carlisle?"  
Carlisle raises his head from his book. "Edward? What's wrong?"  
"A vampire was near here, I picked up on his thoughts."  
"Do you know what he was doing?"  
"No, I could not tell."  
"Okay. Has he left the area?"  
"Yes."

Jasper enters the room.

"Jasper, what is it?" Asks Carlisle.  
"Can't you smell it?"

Edward and Carlisle pause to sniff the air.

Carlisle's face turns serious. "A newborn."  
"A fresh one." Jasper corrects him.  
"He must have been created by the other vampire." Edward says.  
Bella walks in and sees the three of them, "Hey, what's going on?" She asks, puzzled by their serious expressions.  
"A newborn vampire has been created here in Forks, and is loose." Edward explains.  
Bella's eyes widen. "What? How come?"  
"A vampire was in the area recently; we believe this is down to him." Carlisle replies.  
"Bella?" Emmett calls from the lounge. "You need to see this."  
Bella huffs and goes into the lounge, followed by the other. "What is it Emmett?"  
"On the news..." Emmett says quietly, trying to be gentle.  
"What?" Bella questions sharply.  
"Hannah's parents..."

Now Jasper was listening.

"Her parents..." Emmett tries to continue but Rosalie rolls her eyes and interrupts him saying "Her parents are dead."  
"What?!" Bella shouts, then immediately starts to panic. "What about Hannah? Where is she? Is she okay? I haven't spoken to her since the sleepover!"  
Edwards moves close over to her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. "Bella, calm down." He says softly.  
Emmett shrugs. "No sign of her yet."  
Carlisle steps forward "Okay we need to sort this out. Edward, Jasper and Emmett, I want you three to find the newborn and bring them here." The three boys agree and run out the house.  
"Rosalie, Bella, try and contact Hannah."  
"Okay."

* * *

The dark is drawing in now. I wish I had a place to go. I don't know if vampires sleep, but I need to try. If I can, then at least it would pass some time.

 **'Rustle Rustle'**

I sniff the air, sensing something. Something coming through the trees. I jump down to the ground and begin to run, as fast as my new speed will allow me. It's odd, I know I am running superfast, yet everything seems to be moving in slow motion. Maybe it is my senses, heightened to prevent me from running into things. As I run, I keep looking behind me. There are three things chasing me, but I can't tell what they are.

Looking back ahead of me, I gasp. I had almost ran off of the edge of a cliff, only just catching myself in time.

"Shit!" I look from side to side, trying to find a way out. From what I can tell, the only way out is down. I spin around so that I am facing the forest, facing those things that are chasing me.  
"Leave. Me. Alone!" I shout out aggressively. "Get away!" I collapse onto my knees and curl up into a ball, burying my head.  
"There!" I hear a voice call.  
"Wait, Emmett! Look closer!"

I don't move. I don't look. I sense someone approach me.

"Hannah?"

Slowly, I lift my head up. Jasper is crouched down beside me. "Go away! I'm a monster! I'll kill you!" I warn him.  
"Hannah, Listen to me."  
"No! You need to get away!" I cry and bury my face again. But then I feel arms around me. Strong arms, holding me and soothing me. I look up and see it is Jasper who is comforting me.  
"Hannah, come with us." He whispers to me. "I promise we can help." He moves so that he is front of me, taking hold of my shoulders. "Look at me, Hannah." My eyes meet his. As always, his face is difficult to read, but he seems serious, sincere with his concern.  
"Promise?" I ask, my voice slightly hoarse from all the shouting and tears.  
"You have my word." He replies.

I nod my head and fall against him, my limbs weak. He scoops me up and takes me back to the Cullen's House. When we arrive, he lies me down on the sofa and sits next to me.

Carlisle walks in, "Jasper, is that-?"  
"Yeah, the newborn is Hannah." Emmett says as he walks in with Edward. Maybe they were the other two who were chasing me earlier.  
"Hannah? Hannah!" Bella comes rushing down the stairs but Edward grabs her before she gets near me. I can smell her blood even from a distance. Sniffing, I sit up, my eyes set on Bella.  
"No." Jasper says sternly, grabbing my arms and pinning me down.  
"W-What's going on?" Bella asks.  
"Bella, there is something you need to know." Edward says to her.  
"Know? Know what?"  
Edward keeps her close. "Hannah is the newborn."  
"Edward, I think it will be best if you take Bella away from here for a bit." Carlisle says. Edward leads Bella out of the room, but whispers something to Carlisle on the way out.

Jasper releases me and gets up, walking over to Carlisle. "What is it?" He asks.  
"Edward looked through Hannah's thoughts. The vampire who attacked her was Riley Biers. He went missing a year or so ago."  
"What do you think he was doing in Forks?"  
"His intentions are unknown. Edward can look into it."  
"He said 'Welcome to the army'" I mumble, still lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. "Right...Jasper, stay with Hannah. I'll get her some blood to control her thirst." Carlisle says before leaving the room.

Jasper slides next to me on the sofa. I remain motionless, lying still. Feeling nothing.

"Why did you leave London?"  
"Hmmm?"  
"I said. Why did you leave London?" He looked down at me.  
Sighing, I sit up and look down at my hands. "Uh my dad got a new job promotion so we moved here."  
"Ok, your turn."  
"My turn for what?"  
"Your turn to ask me a question." I lift my head, now I understand what he's on about.  
"How old are you." I ask.  
"19, how old are you?"  
"17. How long have you been 19?"  
"...Since 1863"  
"So I guess vampires never age?"  
He smirks at me. "No. But I'll forget that you asked on my turn."  
"Hmph, sorry." I reply, a smile tugging at my lips.

But then I get distracted. Blood. I can smell blood. Getting up I follow the scent, finding Carlisle in the kitchen holding a glass. There are pouches of blood on the counter. He takes a pouch and pours the blood into the glass.

"Okay, Hannah we need to control your thirst. I want you to drink all of this and then let me know as soon as you get thirsty again, understand?"  
"Yes, I understand." I take the glass and gulp down the blood. When I finish, I feel more satisfied. Not completely, but I am not as thirsty as I was.  
"Jasper, can you take her things upstairs?" Carlisle asks.  
I look to Carlisle with a raised eyebrow. "My things?" I question.  
"Hannah you're welcome to live with us now-"  
"Now I don't have parents." I finish for him.  
"Yes." He says solemnly.  
I pause. "I'd like that. Thank you Carlisle."

Jasper grabs my bag and leads me upstairs. He tells me which rooms belong to him and then shows me to my new room. It is next to his. Then he leaves me to unpack. I fold my clothes, placing them in the draws of the wardrobe. My makeup and wash bag I place on the dresser; the rest I dump on the floor. There is no bed in the room.

I guess vampires really don't sleep.


	6. Settling In

Chapter 6 

I've been living with the Cullen's for about a month or so now. They have explained everything about what I am and what I can do now. They even helped me to train myself so that when we return to school, I can pass as human. Who knew I would have to re-learn when to breathe and blink?  
For the first week of me living with them, I spent every day in my room, curled up on my sofa. None of them bothered me, however I'm fairly certain they were keeping an eye on me via the mind snooping powers of Edward. I liked it, I could do whatever I wanted.

Even Jasper stayed away.

The next two weeks I spent in the forest. I enjoy the forest more than the house. It means I have more freedom and I can spend all of my time running free and climbing through the trees. Of course, I have to make sure I don't cross the 'Treaty' line. Yet the Cullen's have yet to tell me what the treaty is for.  
I kept fairly close to the house but at the same time I was far enough away to have some privacy. Occasionally I would catch either Edward or Emmett trying to follow me or spy on me. I assumed Carlisle had sent them to make sure I wasn't losing control and biting everyone in a mad frenzy. Jasper was never sent though, which was something I was secretly glad of. The thought of having to deal with him pissed me off.

Now? Now I am back in the house. I came back because I needed blood, and I still haven't mastered hunting yet. Plus, we have to go back to school in about a week and I have to finish all my studying. So when I got back, I was surprised to find out I'd forgotten something...

 **'Knock Knock'**

"Hang on." I get up from where I am lying on the floor and walk as slow as I can to the door of my room. Carlisle has told me to keep practising moving slowly, breathing and blinking, ready for school.  
"Oh. Hey, Jasper."  
"Hannah." He greets.  
"What do you want?" I ask.  
"Well, we have a history project due in a week and we haven't really started it..." He trails off, clearly hinting that he came here to do it now.  
I sigh, "It's not like I have had the time or emotional strength to do it."  
"We could do it now?" He suggests.

 _Well yes we could but I'm sure our History teacher will let me off this project because of my situation._

I already know that he probably won't go away until I agree. "Ok then, we can do it now."

He smiles and nods before quickly leaving and then returning with his books. I move my stuff to the side and sit cross-legged on the floor. He sits opposite me, lying on his side. Although we are supposed to be working together, we don't actually talk whilst we work. Only occasionally do we question each other on something. Admittedly, I prefer working like this. It means I don't have to worry about saying the wrong thing to him. Plus, I think for once he has run out of questions for me. Silence appears to work well for him too. I don't know why but he seems to like staring at me and watching me work.

* * *

 **'Knock Knock'**

"It's open." I say.  
"Hey, Hannah?" I look up and see Emmett.  
I smile. "Hello Emmett."  
"So, Carlisle was wondering if you're going to school on Monday or not?"  
"I have a choice?"  
Emmett thinks for a moment. "Uh, yeah, yeah that's what he said."  
"What if I stay?" I ask.  
He holds up his hands as if surrendering. "Hey, I'm just the messenger boy. You're gonna have to ask him that yourself."  
Sighing, I roll my eyes. "Okay, where is he Emmett?" I ask, standing with my arms crossed over my chest.  
"In his office."

He then smirks and walks out, closing the door behind him. Emmett isn't like the others. I mean, I'm almost certain that Rosalie hates me, Edward is always in my head which bugs me and Jasper...makes me nervous. Esme and Carlisle are very nice and just like family but I don't talk to them all that much. Emmett is the only other one who acts like family. He's like a big brother really. He even had the guts to challenge me to a race through the woods. We have yet to carry it out though.

I venture downstairs. Through the window, I just catch Emmett joining Edward, Jasper and Rosalie as they run into the woods to go and hunt.

"Hannah." I hear a soft voice call my name. Turning to see who it is, I find myself face to face with Esme.  
"Hi, Esme. Are you not going to hunt?" I ask.  
"No it's their turn. They wouldn't want me tagging along." She smiles. "Carlisle is waiting for you."

I carry on to Carlisle's study. It contains book shelves filled to the brim, from the floor to the ceiling, and large pictures hanging on the wall. Carlisle looks up from the book he is reading.

"Hannah, I guess since you're here you won't be going to school tomorrow?"  
I shake my head. "No. Is that ok?"  
"Of course."  
There is an awkward silence for a moment. "So, Emmett sort of hinted that I would have to do something if I stay?"  
"Yes, I'm afraid so."  
"What it is?" I ask, nervously.  
"I need you to sort through my books."  
It sounds so ridiculous that I feel as though I misheard him. "Sort through your, books?"  
"Yes. If you don't mind. You can even keep the ones I no longer want. That is, if you find any of them interesting enough." He explains.  
"Wait, that will only take me like, a few minutes."  
He smiles at me and chuckles a little. "I figured you'd say that. So I want you to do it at human pace." "What? Why?"  
"You still need to slow down."  
Okay now I'm confused. "But, you said the other day that you might as well call me human I was that good."  
"That's true. It's also a chance for me to, keep an eye on you. See how your body is coping. Things like that."  
"Any particular time?"  
"Whenever you want. But not too late."

* * *

"Okay, so how am I supposed to know which books you want?" I ask Carlisle.  
"Here." Carlisle hands me a piece of paper. "It's a list of the categories of books I need to keep. The rest, is yours."  
I nod. "Right." Taking the paper from him, I see that barely anything is written on it. "It's not a very long list."  
"It's mainly the antiques. The ones even the internet can't replace. That and most vampire history books." Carlisle explains.

I get started on the shelves closet to the door. I have been given two boxes by Carlisle. One for him, and on for me. Any others are just going to be put in a pile in the corner.

Carlisle mainly observes my movements, making notes. But every now and then he asks me questions about how well I am controlling my thirst and my new abilities.

By lunchtime, I am halfway through the shelves. I believe I am doing well considering I'm moving so slowly. Carlisle stopped questioning me a while ago, after gaining everything he needed from me. Now all I need to do is finish this before the others come back from school.

"So how are you settling living here. With us?" Carlisle asks me.  
I shrug. "Yeah, it's good."  
Carlisle smiles. "I've noticed you spend a lot of time in the woods."  
"I like it there, feels more like home."  
"That's good. Even if Esme worries when Edward can't reach you."  
"Sorry."  
"It's no problem. As long as you believe you are strong enough to control yourself."  
"I do." I reply with a stroke of confidence.  
He chuckles. "You're definitely the tamest Newborn I've ever come across."  
"I had help from the best." I grin.  
"If you don't mind me asking, according to Edward, you have some questions? About Jasper?"  
My grin disappears from my face instantly. "Trust Edward to know that." I grumble.  
Carlisle sighs. "I'm sorry. He can't help it."  
"Yeah, I bet Bella loves being immune to it."  
"Not as such- Ah, the others have returned from school. Are you okay to stay here and finish this off?"  
"Mhmm."  
"Good. I'll be back in a minute."


	7. School and Shopping

Chapter 7

I stare out towards the woods ahead of me. The trees are swaying gently in the breeze; I can hear the sounds of woodland creatures scuttling around. Today I'm returning to school. Not only that but it will be my first public appearance in Forks since my parents were killed by Riley: the vampire who also turned me. So, today is the day I prove to everyone that I'm okay...and that I'm human.

I'm sat in my usual spot, on one of the branches that hangs over the balcony. We don't have to leave for another hour yet, and, as usual, I'm the first to venture out of my room. Today I have dressed in an oversized black and white striped woollen jumper, blue jeans and white converses. My hair is down, flowing wildly. Although I have put on some minimal make up, it is nothing too flashy. After all, there is no need to dress up for school anymore.

"Hello." I whisper without even turning my head, sensing someone behind me. Unfortunately, my senses aren't good enough to tell me who it is.  
"You look mindless today."  
I sigh, knowing who it is now. "Hello Edward. What are you doing up?"  
"I uh, I'm picking up Bella this morning. So I need to be down earlier than normal." He explains.  
"Mmm."  
"But you're always around this early, aren't you?" He asks in such a way that you can tell he already knows the answer.  
"Sometimes..."  
Edward chuckles. "The way you're talking; anyone would think you are sleep talking."  
I roll my eyes. "Well that's not possible, is it?" I grumble.  
"No, but still..."  
"What?" I ask, turning my head so I am looking at him with a raised eyebrow.  
He looks away from me. "I'm not normally the one you meet in the morning."  
"No one meets me in the morning." I reply sternly. "They all stay upstairs."  
He smiles. "Not everyone..." And with that, he leaves.

I swear that ever since I became a vampire, maybe even before, they've all had this inside joke about me.

I just can't work out what it's about.

* * *

"Don't worry Hannah, it's fine." Bella says calmly as we walk into school.  
I can't help but constantly look around. "People are staring." I hiss.  
"It's either your situation or your new found beauty." Edward says.  
"Beauty?" I ask.  
"Yes." Edward answers. "When you become a vampire, your entire body changes. It makes people want to be near you."  
"Why?"  
"We are predators. It's so our prey comes willingly." He explains.  
I sigh. "Great."  
"Which always made me wonder why, when you joined the school, you found none of us beautiful in any way."  
Bella stops in her tracks, eyes wide. "Wait, she didn't?"  
"No need to sound so surprised Bella, but no I didn't" I say, slightly annoyed at her.  
"Why?" She asks.  
I shrug. "I don't know."  
She looks to Edward for answers. "Edward?"  
"Well, when I read her mind, nothing is entirely clear. I suppose it is possible that she was immune to us."  
I scoff. "Was? You mean am!" I practically shout before storming off.  
"Yeah. All except for one of us." I hear Edward whisper to Bella as I go.

* * *

I walk into History, my last lesson before lunch. As I enter the room, I see that Jasper is already waiting for me at our desk.  
"Hannah, it is so nice to see you again. I'm sorry, about your parents." My teacher says the last part in a quiet voice.  
"Thank you." I reply.

As I walk between the desks, heading to my seat, I keep my head down. I don't want to face the questioning eyes of all of my classmates.

Jasper nods at me, smiling slightly, as I sit down. "Morning." He says.  
"Hi Jasper." I reply.

The teacher has us all work in silence, so there is no opportunity for Jasper and I to talk. Instead, he passes me a note about half way through the lesson. I haven't noticed before now how nice his handwriting is.

 _You okay?_

I turn it over and write a simple _'yes'_ on the back, then pass it back to him. He nods and carries on with his essay.

 **'Ring Ring'**

"Class dismissed. Remember your finished essays are due in tomorrow." The teacher explains as everyone gets up from their seats and start packing away their things.

Jasper and I walk out of the room together, but in silence. We make our way to the canteen so that we can meet up with the others. Since I no longer need to eat, I sit with all of them. Rosalie and Emmet are opposite me, with Edward and Bella next to them. Jasper is on the other side of me.

There is silence between us until Bella decides to break it. "How are you?" She asks, looking over at me.  
"I'm fine, really. You don't need to worry about me." I say, trying to sound reassuring.  
"Hannah-" She starts, but I interrupt her.  
"Bella, you always worry too much about me. I'm fine. Edward will prove it if you want." I say, nodding to Edward.  
Edward chuckles. "She's right."  
Bella sighs in defeat. "Okay I'm sorry. It's just-"  
"You're too caring." Edward says as he kisses her on the forehead. To be honest, it sets off a spike of jealousy in my mind. Bella has someone in her life who can keep her happy. Something I could do with right now...

No. I need to clear my head of those thoughts before Edward picks up on it. It doesn't matter how many times I tell him to stay out of my head, he still listens to my thoughts. I go back to listening to the group conversation. Bella is talking.

"Right so me and Rosalie have been thinking about graduation, and..."  
"And what?" I ask feeling slightly worried about what they have planned.  
"And we've decided to have a party!" She says excitedly.

 _Oh no._

"A party? Like a graduation party?" I ask. They aren't popular in England, but I have seen enough American films to know what they are.  
"Yeah." Bella says with a big smile.  
"For the Cullens?" I ask, dreading the answer.  
"No. For everyone!"

At that moment, Bella's gang of humans friends walk past, hearing our conversation. They all gather around our table.

"Hey did you say a party?" Jessica asks. "Like, at your place?"  
Angela turns from looking at Eric, to us. "I've never seen your house." She says.  
"No-one has." Jessica says. Then she grabs Mike and they all walk out of the canteen with the others.

"Is a party really a good idea?" Edward asks in a serious tone. When Bella gives him a look of confusion he says "Do you believe it's a good idea to have Hannah near everyone like that?"  
"Edward!" I shout. "For goodness sake I can look after myself!" I stand up knocking my chair against the wall. "Stop treating me like I'm some kind of child who can't control herself!" Without saying anything else, and before anyone can reply, I grab my stuff and walk out of the canteen, leaving them at their table. After getting my jacket from my locker, I head to the outside eating area. The school has no fence or gates, so I simply walked up the hill until I am out of sight. Then I make a beeline for the woods, running all the way back to the house. One sniff reveals that no one is home, so I go into the lounge and collapse onto the sofa, closing my eyes.

* * *

I feel someone press some folded paper into my hand.

"Here." A familiar voice says.

I open my eyes to view them. Of course, I wasn't asleep, being a vampire takes away that luxury. I was simply trying to shut out the rest of the world for a bit. As I sit up I unfold the paper, reading the title. 'History Exam requirements and Topics'.  
"Thanks Jasper." I say, smiling softly.  
He smiles back. "You're welcome."

Looking around, I see that the others aren't with him, but I can sense that they are close. They'll be here soon. Having nothing to say to them, I leave Jasper in the lounge and go up to my room.

 **'Knock Knock'**

"Hey, Hannah? You in here?"  
I sigh. "Yes." I reply reluctantly.  
"Can I come in?"  
"Will you go away if I say no?"  
I hear a laugh. "Of course not."  
"Okay, you'd better come in then."

Bella enters my room and sits on the arm of my sofa. "Look, I'm sorry about Edward. He's very, protective."  
"I know. Sorry for ditching you all at lunch."  
Bella shrugs. "It's nothing. No one blames you."  
There is a pause for a moment. "Are you still going to have the party?" I ask.  
Bella grins. "Well, you need to prove Edward wrong, don't you?"  
I laugh. "Okay."  
"Great!" Bella says, hugging me. "Right, so tomorrow-"  
"Is Saturday."  
"Yes. So, me and Rosalie are going shopping and..."  
"You want me to come?"  
"Yeah! You could do with a day out. Away from forks. It's a great time to get a new outfit..."  
"Outfit?"  
"For the party."  
"Where are we going?"  
"Port Angeles."  
"I don't know..."  
"Please?"

I give up and force a smile at her. "Okay, okay. I'll go."

"Yes! I'll go tell Rosalie, and arrange a time." Bella says before skipping out of my room.

What have I done? Shopping is so not my thing... I suppose it will get Bella off my back and I guess she's right, a day out would be nice.

* * *

Port Angeles is much bigger than Forks, which is likely the reason why Bella chose it. It's weird, being outside of Forks. Like I have forgotten the rest of the world still exists.

We arrive at about lunchtime and straight away begin to shop. Rosalie picks out so many dresses that I loose count in the first shop. Everything she tries on fits her perfectly, somehow making her look even prettier than she already is. Bella is a bit more reluctant to try things on but she does pick out a few things, mainly tops and jeans. Her excuse is that she needs more clothes in general, not just a party outfit. Me? I barely touch anything. Occasionally I run my fingers over some dresses, but I know they are all too pretty for me.

"You need to pick something." Rosalie says as she passes me, heading towards the fitting rooms.  
I smirk. "I'm surprised you even have time to talk, considering the amount you've picked out."  
Rosalie rolls her eyes. "I'm just saying-"  
"I know, I know. I just haven't found the right thing."  
"You need to hurry up. We'll be leaving soon."  
"Ok, tell Bella I'll meet you both back at the car in half an hour." I manage to say to Rosalie before it is her turn to change. I think she mumbles some kind of 'okay' in response but it is muffled by the large pile of clothes she is carrying. Surprisingly, shopping seems to make Rosalie pleasant. This is the first time she hasn't been stone cold to me since I first met her.

I leave the shop. Every store we've been in so far has been full of posh outfits, classy dressed, all the stuff Rosalie likes. Things Bella can wear and still look normal. But I don't suit any of it. I need to find somewhere with less elegant clothes if I want to stand a chance of buying anything.

After about 10 minutes of looking, I find a little, vintage style shop at the end of the street. Inside it has lots of clothes and bags, as well as other accessories that I like. Within minutes I find a pink dress with a black swirling pattern. It has over the shoulder straps and hangs down to the bottom of my thighs. When I try it on I find that it is a bit of a tight fit. Not something I would normally wear, but it looks alright on me so I buy it anyway. I know it will go well with some black tights I have at home. In addition, I buy two pairs of jeans and three new tops. Once I am satisfied with everything I have bought, I head back to the car. I can see from a distance that Bella and Rosalie are already waiting there for me. They both look surprised at the fact that I'm carrying shopping bags with me. Rosalie has the most, with about 6 bags filled with dresses and shoes and so much more. Bella has about 4 bags, although I think she just bought bulky stuff. And then there is me, with two bags of shopping from the vintage shop.


	8. Developments

Chapter 8

The three of us arrive back home at dusk, just as the sun is starting to slip down behind the horizon. It was later than we'd planned, since Bella was supposed to be home in the late afternoon, but she assured me that it Charlie would be fine about it every time I asked. The three of us haul our bags out from the boot of Rosalie's car and carry them inside. I can sense that everyone is here, hopefully they are all in their own rooms. Upon entering the lounge, I notice that Edward is sat on the sofa, but no one else is in sight.

"We're back!" Bella announces in an overly loud voice.  
"Bella! Keep your voice down!" I snap, shooting a glare at her.  
She looks at me, clueless. "Why?"  
"Because I don't want the whole world to know that I went shopping with you!"  
Bella rolls her eyes. "Jeez, the party isn't until tomorrow! Besides, it's only us here. Hey, Edward! Look what I bought." She says, bouncing over to him.  
"You, bought clothes?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.  
"Yes. But Rosalie bought more." She says, nodding to all of Rosalie's bags.  
Edward chuckles, "I can tell."  
Rosalie huffs. "I needed new dresses, Edward."  
"Doesn't bother me." Emmett says as he suddenly appears next to Rosalie, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her on the cheek. I look away, feeling a sting of jealousy.  
"Help me get my stuff upstairs." Rosalie says to Emmett with a grin.  
He nods. "'Course babe." He replies, grabbing her bags to take them upstairs, along with Rosalie herself.

Bella is already showing Edward her new stuff, with him kindly complementing everything she holds up.

Deciding to leave them alone, I take hold of my bags and head towards the stairs. As I reach the bottom of them, I look up to find Jasper walking down towards me.

He smiles. "'Evening."  
I smile slightly. "Hi."  
He looks to the bags I'm holding. "I wasn't expecting you to buy anything."  
I chuckle "Like they would let me leave without buying something."

He laughs at that.

"I'm going to put this stuff in my room. Mind if I pass?" I ask, considering he is blocking my path.  
He smiles and moves so that he is leaning against the rail, making space for me to pass.  
"Thanks." I say, hurrying up to my room.

Once upstairs, I lay out my new clothes on the floor so I can work out where to put everything. I make space in my large wardrobe, a moving in present from Carlisle and Esme. Mostly it stores the books I gained from Carlisle, but those are currently spread around the room too.

* * *

The whole of Sunday is spent preparing the house for the party. We have to sort out the deliveries of food and drinks, string up lights, move anything fragile out of the way as well as anything vampire related. Emmett moves around the furniture to create a large space for people to use as a dancefloor. I was chosen to help Esme prepare the food for the guests. Bella and Edward were in charge of music. Rosalie did little to help and God knows what Jasper was doing.

"You're a good cook Hannah." Rosalie says with a bright smile.  
"Cook?" I laugh a little, "This is just preparing salad and stuff. It isn't that difficult really." I say.  
"Well, I guess you have more experience than the rest of us." She replies. I assume she is referring to me not long being a vampire.  
"Yeah." I nod, finishing the platter I was arranging.  
"Hey, why don't you go and get ready? I can finish this off." Esme offers.  
"Oh no, it's okay. It won't take me long to get ready."  
"I understand, but you've worked hard to help us. You're free to do what you want." She says.  
I look to her. "Are you sure?" I ask, not wanting to just leave.  
"Of course!" She says happily. "Now go."  
"Okay." I reply, leaving the room.

Guests aren't due to starting arriving for at least another hour, so I decide to kill some time in the woods.

* * *

I change into my dress and some rose patterned tights after showering. Using a towel, I dry my hair and then tie it back in a half ponytail, pulling the ponytail part into a bun and adding two chopsticks to give it a slight Japanese twist. The next few minutes I spend applying makeup: thick eyeliner, volumising mascara, dark pink eye shadow and pink lip gloss. Finally, I dig around in my wardrobe for my pair of black pumps. Now I am ready. Already, I can hear the music playing downstairs and the sound of people arriving. I decided earlier that it would be better to wait until most of the guests arrive since I don't know most of the people invited. My plan for the evening is simply to show my face, and then escape into the woods or to my room.

"There you are!" I hear a voice cry before a pair of hands softly grip my shoulders. A turn of my head reveals it is Esme. "I think they did really well on the decorations. Do you think so?" She asks.  
I nod. "Yes, it looks really nice Esme. May I take the lights afterwards so that I can hang them in my room?"  
"Of course you can."

I smile as she apologises, excusing herself in order to find Carlisle. I spot Bella, who is talking to her friends: Jessica, Angela, Eric and Mike, but I can't see Edward with her. I change course and enter the kitchen, where Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper are chatting.

"So, you finally decided to join us then." Emmett says, grinning at me and pulling me into a bear hug. Once Emmett releases me, Rosalie gives me a disapproving look. "So that's what you bought then." She says, motioning to my dress. I lean against the counter and look to the floor, feeling slightly embarrassed.  
"C'mon babe, at least she's in a dress." Emmett says, attempting to lighten the mood again.  
"For once." Rosalie practically spits at me.  
"It's not the Law that girls HAVE to wear dresses." Emmett replies, still defending me.  
Rosalie sighs, "I know."

After a few moments of silence, Emmett claps his hands together. "Right, I need to find Edward. C'mon babe." He says, leading Rosalie out of the kitchen. I'm still looking at the floor. To be honest, I had forgotten Jasper was there. It is only when I hear the creaking of the wooden counters that I look up and see Jasper leaning against them.

"You look...never mind." He says, looking away from me, rubbing the back of his neck.  
I cock my head to the side. "No. Tell me." I say, somewhat firmly.  
He looks to me with a slightly serious expression.  
"Please?"  
He chuckles. "You look lovely, Ma'am." Emphasising his accent as he says it. Had I still been human, with blood flowing through my veins, I would have probably blushed heavily at that.  
"Thank you." I smile softly at him. I feel things becoming awkward between us.

 _Am I supposed to say something back?_

I clear my throat. "Well, you look, um..." I try, stumbling over every word.  
He smirks at me. "Go on."  
"You look..."

 _Shit. What's the word?_

"Handsome." I finish. It isn't a lie, he's wearing smart trousers, and a black shirt with the top buttons undone. Simple bit stylish. I cross my arms over my chest. "Why are you so formal all of a sudden anyway?" I ask, curious.  
A smile tugs at his lips. "I simply misplaced my manners before." He laughs a little, so I guess it's a joke.

 ***Sniff***

I pull a funny face. "Ew. What is that awful stench?"  
Jasper's face turns deadly serious, "Come with me."

I nod and follow Jasper out of the kitchen. He takes me to the back door and out onto the balcony where Bella and the rest of the Cullens are waiting. There are also three boys with them, boys I don't recognise. They all have short dark hair, tanned skin and muscular bodies, despite looking only 16. All of them reek of wet dog. As we approach them, Jasper motions for me to stay close behind him.

"Jasper." Carlisle says. Everyone looks distressed for some unknown reason.  
"What's going on?" Jasper asks.  
"Riley has been in the area again. I heard his thoughts." Edward explains  
"What does he-"  
Jasper is interrupted by Edward. "That's not important. He was just passing through." He notions to me and I realise the smelly boys haven't seen me yet.  
"He was originally here for Bella's scent to pass around. He's been creating an army in Seattle, to fight us."  
"It must be Victoria." Bella says.  
Edward shakes his head, "I couldn't see anything about her. He might have been blocking me though."  
"What do you mean by army?" The tallest boy of the three speaks up.  
"Newborns. Our kind." Carlisle answers. "It's our first few months of this life when we are most dangerous."  
"It only takes a few to match any human army." Jasper adds. "They're strong."  
"Ok, we're in." The tall boy speaks again.  
"No Jacob, you can't!" Bella says sternly.

 _Right, so the tall one is called Jacob._

"It would give us the numbers. The Newborns won't know they exist." Jasper says, mostly to Bella.  
"Look we protect this area too Bella. It's our job." Jacob pauses, "As long as we get to kill SOME vampires."  
"We'll all need training. Knowledge that Jasper has." Carlisle says, making me wonder why Jasper would know so much.  
"Ok." Jacob agrees, "Give us the time and place."  
"Jacob!" Bella cries.  
"It's Ok Bella. This is what we do."

Carlisle arranges a time and meeting place for training. Bella continues to protest but none of the boys seems to be listening to her. Especially Jacob. They are about to re-join the party when Jacob turns back to Bella, and catches sight of my arm by Jaspers. He follows up my arm until he is looking at my face.

"Who, is that?" Jacob demands.  
"Jacob..." Bella says calmly.  
I can see anger in his eyes. "Have you broken the treaty?"  
"Let us explain-" Bella tries but is stopped by Jacob.  
"No. Have you broken the treaty?! Did you bite a human?!" He asks angrily.  
"No, we didn't." Edward says calmly to Jacob. "It wasn't us. Riley, who I talked about earlier, that's why he was here today. To check up on her. He left as soon as he realised I had joined us instead of causing problems like he'd intended." He explains.  
Jacob calms but is clearly still pissed. "Whatever. Not like one more bloodsucker can cause any harm." He says sarcastically, before leaving with the other boys.  
"He's pleasant isn't he." I say, annoyed at him for calling me a bloodsucker and for being rude to me. "Sorry. Jacob is nice. Mostly." Bella says, although I find it difficult to believe.  
"Sure he is." I duck my head and go back inside, feeling upset about what Jacob said.

I don't return to the party, even after Jacob and the other two leave. I'm too upset. I went straight back up to my room, ripped off my party outfit, scrubbed off my make up and took my hair down. Changing into a woollen jumper and skinny jeans I curl up on my red and black chaise lounge. I had found it online and bought it to replace the bulky sofa that used to be in my room. That now sits in the attic with loads of other furniture and boxes since no one else wanted it.

The party ended at about 11pm, or at least, that's when the last people left the house. After being curled up on my chaise lounge for several hours, I started to feel like never moving again. Ever since I became...this, this monster, nothing has gone right. I don't belong here. This isn't my home! Feeling a burst of rage, I chuck a pillow at the wall furiously. It explodes, littering the floor with feathers. But I don't care. I just curl back up into a ball and block the rest of the world out.


	9. A Shock to The System

Chapter 9

 ***Click***

A cool breeze brushes through the strands of my hair, tickling both the back of my neck and my face. The sound originated from the creak of my door, but not my bedroom door. It came from the door that leads out from my room to a tiny balcony, and, more importantly, the woods. Someone has entered my room, and is clearly trying to be quiet.

"Hey Jasper." I whisper, barely audible due to my head still being buried in my knees.  
"How'd you know it was me?" He asks, also in a whisper.  
"Because only you would dare come near me when I want to be alone." I quietly hiss back at him.

But then, all my built up anger, sadness and pain suddenly seem to be pushed out of me. I uncurl and sit up, facing Jasper. He is still stood by the door, his eyes focusing on me. I gaze back at him with a confused and questioning expression, my head cocked slightly to the side.

Jasper seems to understand what I am asking. "I can feel and manipulate the emotions of those around me. I believe it is known as Pathokinesis." He explains.  
It takes a minute for me to process what he has said. "So, so _you_ made me relax like that?"  
He nods.  
"Thanks, but I can do it myself."  
"Do you need any...help?" He asks, gesturing to the mess on the floor.

I figure he is trying to change the subject but I only shrug my shoulders in response and look away. Sensing him moving over to me I budge up to the edge of my chaise lounge in order to make room for him to sit next to me.

There is silence between us, so I take a minute to ponder something. "So, can you tell what emotions I'm feeling? Like, right now?" I ask, switching my position so that I can look at him.  
He nods again.  
"Have you always been able to tell?"  
He smirks and nods once more. I swear this is the quietest he has ever been around me.  
"Okay, why are you looking at me like that?" I ask, with a minor tone of concern.  
He chuckles. "No reason."  
I huff. "Fine, whatever." Using my vampire abilities, I speed of off the chaise lounge to the floor, beginning to pick up the feathers. I look to Jasper with a raised eyebrow and a grin. "I thought you wanted to help?"  
Jasper sighs. "Yes, I regret that now."

I laugh a little and he joins me on the floor, both of us kneeling down and collecting handfuls of the feathers. After a few minutes, the last feather is in the bin, along with the cushion, and I start feeling much better than I did before Jasper arrived. No longer did I need his help to calm myself down. Meanwhile, Jasper stands up, walking over to where I had stacked a load of books.

"Do you want to go to the woods?" I ask.  
"Maybe." He answers, seemingly absorbed in admiring the books.  
I walk over to the balcony doors and fling them open. Smirking, I look out at the vast woods ahead of me. "You'll only follow me." Turning myself towards Jasper, I hold out my hand to him. Hesitantly at first, but then more confidently. "You've got 5 seconds." I say, laughing. Then I grin, "5...4...3...2-" Jasper holds up his hands in surrender and chuckles. "Okay, okay." He walks over to me and reaches out, taking my hand.

 ***Zap!***

"Ah!" I cry, jumping back slightly, yanking my hand away from his. As our fingers had collided, a spark of what resembled electricity had suddenly gone off, shocking me. "Ouch." I say, rubbing my hand to try and soothe it. "What was that?" I ask him, looking down at my hand to inspect it. I gasp. A golden colour has spread across my palms and the back of my hands. I watch as it slowly climbs up my wrists, forearms. I can feel it travelling up my neck. Moving as if it is travelling through my veins. Then, just as soon as it had appeared, it had gone again. Completely vanished.

"Jasper..." I whisper.  
"I saw." He replies in a surprisingly calm voice.  
"That...is that normal?" I ask, still in shock.  
He shakes his head slowly and briefly. "No."

As I look up to him properly, I notice that he has different coloured waves surrounding him. Some bigger, and more prominent than others. The biggest wave of colour is blue with a slight red border. Somehow, I know what that means despite never seeing it before.

"Wow, you seem calm, considering you are so frustrated." I say, reaching out to see if I can feel the waves around him.  
He looks back at me with a serious expression. "What?"  
"Literally, you're radiating calmness!" I say, gesturing to the waves surrounding him. "It's freaky!"  
He narrows his gaze. "How do you-You know what I am feeling?" He asks, almost in disbelief.  
I nod, watching the colours change. "Less calm now."

Then I get an idea. Looking straight into his eyes I try to focus, recreating the look he gave me earlier when he changed my emotions. I try to send him my emotions, but since I am feeling so many at once I think he gets a wave of emotion instead. Jasper flinches.

 _Yep, that messed him up._

"Oh god, I'm sorry Jasper. I was just trying to-Ah!" My apology is interrupted by the golden colour and tingling sensation reappearing again. This time travelling downwards, back towards my hands until it disappears completely at my fingertips. After watching the gold travel back through me, I look back up to Jasper. All the waves of colour had gone, and he looked normal again. I can no longer see what Jasper is feeling.

"W-What was that? What just happened?" I utter, looking back down at my hands.  
"I don't know." Jasper says, sounding concerned.

I can't stop looking down at my hands. I'm half expecting it to reappear, to see that golden light once more. Focusing on nothing but my hands, I feel panic rising within me. A horrible sick feeling in my stomach. If I were still human, my heart would be racing, my hands would be clammy with sweat, my eyes would be watering and my breathing would be incredibly heavy. But being a vampire gets rid of all of that.

"Hannah, don't worry." Jasper's words just about reach me. I hear them, but they don't register in my mind. Too many thoughts are swimming around in my head, preventing me from calming down.

"Hannah!" Jasper shouts, snapping me from my thoughts. I look up to him, knowing my eyes show nothing but fear and panic. Not that he has to look into my eyes to know what I am feeling.  
"It will be okay." He says softly. He reaches out his hand to comfort me but I jump back, scared that it will happen again. For a moment, Jasper looks angry, but then he takes hold of my forearms with a tight but gentle grip, pulling me into a strong hug. I don't feel a shock, so I relax and hug back, wrapping my arms around his chest, under his arms. I bury my head in his neck and try to calm myself. Time passes by, but Jasper only attempts to move when I am completely level headed.

"We should see Carlisle. He might know what's going on." Jasper speaks. His voice is muffled by the fact his head is leant against mine, his lips moving against my hair. I only nod in response, not really wanting to break away from him. We break from our hug and he takes hold of my wrist, careful to avoid my fingers in case it happens again. We go downstairs, seeking Carlisle. Edward is out with Bella, and I think both Rosalie and Emmett are out too. Entering the lounge, we spot Carlisle perching on the sofa, watching the news.

"Carlisle?" Jasper says, requesting his attention.  
Carlisle looks up from the screen to us. "Jasper. Hannah." Nodding to us as he says our names. Only then does he sense something is off. "What's wrong?"

Jasper and I look to each other, then back at Carlisle.

"What is it?" Carlisle prods, turning off the tv. He stands up so he can be level with us. His expression has turned very serious.  
"Show him." Jasper whispers.  
"O-Okay." I say shakily.

Jasper lets go of my wrist and holds out his hand. I reach out, pressing the tips of my fingers against his, twitching a little at the shock. I wait until the golden light has travelled up my arms and disappeared before looking to Carlisle. Just like before, I can see the waves of colour. The most prominent wave is yellow, most likely signalling warning, worry, concern. Although in fairness I don't really know anything about this.

I look Carlisle straight in the eyes. "You are feeling concerned for me and also a little shocked and confused about what you have just witnessed. Correct?" I ask.  
Carlisle looks a bit taken aback. "Yes, I am. But how-"

Before he can finish I stare at him, attempting to send him waves of calm. I watch the colours change, along with his facial expression. I smile. I have successfully changed his emotions, just like Jasper can.

A few minutes of silence later, the light retreats back down my arms and disappears at my fingertips. Jasper takes hold of my wrist again.

"It only happens when she has direct contact with another person's fingers." Jasper explains.  
"I see." Carlisle replies.  
"What is it?" I ask.  
"It must be your vampire ability, it's the only explanation. Clearly it took a while to fully develop." Carlisle says as he reaches for the phone. He dials a number and then walks off towards his office.

* * *

Not long after Carlisle returned to us in the lounge, Edward came through the door. Bella was nowhere in sight.

"I left Bella at her house with Charlie. What's wrong Carlisle?" He asks.  
"I need you to help me try something. Hannah?" Carlisle calls me.  
"Yes?" I ask, unsure of what he wants.  
"Would you come over here please?"  
I nod. Jasper lets go of me and I walk over to Carlisle and Edward.  
"Edward, hold out your hand." Carlisle orders. Edward does so. Already knowing what I need to do I reach out and touch his fingers. First comes the electric shock, then something different. Instead of the light being golden, it is light blue.

Edward looks to me and then to Carlisle. "What is this?" He asks, concerned.  
"Jasper will tell you." Carlisle replies.

As Jasper explains what is happening, I look around the room. Everyone's thoughts, I can hear them. I can see into their minds too. Edward is thinking about Bella but mainly trying to theorise about what is happening with me. Carlisle is also theorising, but about what possible ability I have. Jasper is also thinking about me, but part of his mind seems clouded.

"You're reading their thoughts." Edward says to me, intrigued.  
"What?" I look to him. "Oh, yes. I am." I say.  
"That's impossible." Edward replies, looking to Carlisle for some kind of answer.  
"No, Edward I think I know what it is." Carlisle says.  
Edward pauses. I can tell he is reading Carlisle's mind. "I suppose that is possible. I've never heard of it though."

Suddenly, everything goes blank as the light blue light leaves me, meaning I can no longer read their thoughts. I join Jasper on the sofa. Carlisle and Edward sit opposite us.

"So? What is it?" Jasper asks.  
"I think, that she can, in a single touch, temporarily have another vampire's abilities." Carlisle says.  
"Only for a few minutes though." I said ungratefully.  
"Powers can be developed. Over time." Carlisle says, not seeming annoyed by my comment.  
"So what? I can never touch anyone's hands again?" I say, feeling slightly upset.  
"Wait here." Edward says before leaving the house. He returns within a few minutes, holding a small plastic bag. "Here." He holds out the bag to me. I take it and peer inside. I pull out a pair of fashionable, crimson red, leather gloves that stop at the wrist. They have golden swirls on the back and fit me perfectly.

As soon as they are on my hands, Jasper takes my left hand and touches my fingers. Nothing happens. The gloves had stopped my ability. So I keep my hand in his.

"Thank you, Edward." I say kindly, admiring the gloves.  
Carlisle stands up. "Emmett and Rosalie will be back soon. I will tell them what has happened. It's up to you if you want to try and develop your power. I'm sure Jasper can help you."  
"Ok." I nod.

Jasper and I both get up from the sofa too, keeping our fingers laced together. We speed out of the house until we are happily sat in a large tree, deep in the woods. It's my favourite place to go when I want to be alone because it's out of the reach of Edward, and you can see out past the cliffs all the way to the see. I don't mind Jasper being with me now, he is a comfort more than anything else.


	10. Author's Note

_Hi everyone,_

 _I know I usually upload a new chapter for Monsters and Mysteries every Monday, but unfortunately I cannot upload today. :/ I have been swamped with college work and as a result have fallen behind on my fanfiction writing, so the chapter just isn't ready yet._

 _Don't worry, I'll upload it at some point this week! But, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait an extra day or two...Sorry!_


	11. Sunshine and Blood Lust

Chapter 10 

In the last week I have tested many different fabrics for my gloves: wool, rubber, nylon, silk, satin and more. However, it seems that the only type of fabric that can protect me from my own vampire ability is leather. So, I've been wearing the red pair that Edward gave me, only taking them off when I am alone in order to prevent any accidental power transfers. I don't mind, I actually quite like them. They match all of my clothes, well, more or less.

So far, I haven't yet started to develop my power. I'm still trying to get used to it. Carlisle, Jasper, Edward and I have worked out that I can temporarily have the same power as any other vampire, supernatural or not, for a matter of minutes. However, the transfer only occurs if my fingers make direct contact with theirs. Supernatural abilities all have their own colours, but enhanced ones, like Rosalie's which is beauty, are all simply the colour violet. So, in a way, my power is everyone else's.

Right now it is mid-morning, and the sun is shining brightly in Forks for the first time since my transformation into a vampire. I'm in my room, lying on my belly on the floor. The windows are open, so I can feel a slight breeze blowing through my hair. It is also causing the corners of the book I am reading to flap a bit. Next to me is a mountain of homework. Maths, English, Biology, Art and History. I can put off History easily, because I need to do it with Jasper, but the rest I gave up on because just the thought of all of it was stressing me out. Besides, I'm a vampire. I don't sleep. I have the rest of eternity to finish it.

 ***Click***

I sense someone enter, and within seconds Jasper appears. He drops down to his knees and then lies down, positioning himself next to me and looking over my shoulder at the book I'm reading.

"Fairy tales?" He asks in a questioning tone.  
I nod. "Indeed they are."  
He peers closer at the book. "Rapunzel?"  
"I like the idea of her long hair." I reply, smiling.  
He chuckles. "Not the idea of being locked away in a castle?"  
"Tower." I correct him. "And no, not so much."  
He looks around until his eyes settle on the huge stack of homework. "And that?" He asks, pointing at the pile.  
I shrug. "I got stressed and gave up."  
"Well, we can do the History later." He jumps to his feet and moves so that he is in front of me. Crouching down, he places his hand over the pages of the book so that I can no longer read it. I look up to him, my eyes meeting him.

"Jasper, I want to read." I say, pulling a sad face.  
"I want to show you something first." He smiles, taking my hand in his and pulling me into a sitting position. "Your first sunlight?" He asks.  
"As a vamp, yes."  
"Good." He grins, getting up and dragging me with him. I was about to protest but he put his finger to his mouth, telling me to 'shh'. He looks at me for a moment, then grins, taking a strand of my hair gently. "If your hair was any longer you'd be Rapunzel." He jokes, chuckling before letting go of the strand.

He leeds me outside. I don't understand what is so special, it's only sunlight. After following a vague pathway, we stop not that far from the house. He places me in the shadow of a tree, right next to a ray of sunlight, then stands opposite me.

"Ready?" He asks.  
"What if I burn and turn to dust?" I joke.  
He frowns. "You've been reading too many fairy stories."

He gestures for me to move into the light, so I do. I stand there, waiting for something to happen. Jasper is smiling at me, but I don't understand why. Then I see it. In the light, all of my exposed skin is sparking. It's beautiful, like diamonds. Jasper steps forward, so that the side of his face becomes bathed in sunlight. It starts to sparkle like mine, whilst the remaining half stays dark. It gives him such an alluring look, so much so that I can't take my eyes off of him.

"Wow." Is all I manage to say. No other words seem able to pass my lips.  
He smiles. "It's why we can't go to school on sunny days."  
"It's amazing."

I turn on the spot, admiring as much of myself as possible. Every so often I move out of the light, then back in, just to watch myself turn to diamonds over and over. Jasper just watches me, smiling softly as he observes my movements of admiration. When I am content, I return to my room, whilst Jasper goes to seek out Edward. Standing in the middle of my room I stare down at the mess. Books, homework, pencils, cushions. All littering my floor. Starting to feel upset with both anger and sadness filling me, I kick the pile of school work and storm out of my room. I keep my eyes on the floor, and, as a result, I bump into Carlisle.

"Sorry." I say.  
He smiles softly. "It's okay, Hannah." I see that he is carrying a newspaper. The headline is about the situation in Seattle, which is in fact the fault of Riley who is building an army to come and slaughter us. Carlisle notices me looking.

"Don't worry. With the others, we'll be fine." He says calmly.  
I sigh. "I hope so."

Carlisle continues on up the stairs whilst I walk forward until I find myself in the lounge. I turn on the TV but there is nothing interesting on so I curl up with a cushion on the sofa. The one thing I can't bare is being alone. I've noticed that when no one else is around, my mood, my desire to do things, completely disappears. I think it is still the shock of everything that has happened to me. Its why I secretly enjoy Jasper's company, even if I try to pretend otherwise.

"What are you doing?" I hear someone say. My senses can easily tell me who it is.  
"Surfing." I reply sarcastically. "I thought you were a mind reader?"  
Edward chuckles. "True. So I know you're upset."  
"I'm fine." I huff.  
"Then why are you cuddling a cushion, hm?"  
Angrily, I throw the cushion away from me. "I'm not cuddling a cushion, see?"  
"I can help." Edward says softly.  
"No. You can't." I spit.  
"So you are upset."  
I stand up and grab the cushion. "Stop being so nosey Edward!" I scream before throwing the cushion at his head. Then I run out of the room before anything more can be said.

* * *

 ***Edward's POV***

"Carlisle?" I call, hovering in the doorway of his study.  
Carlisle looks up from his desk. "Edward, come in. What's wrong?"  
"I'm, I'm worried about Hannah."  
Carlisle sighs and puts his papers down. "Yes, I am too. Hopefully it will get better though." He replies with a smile.  
I nod in agreement. "For now, I think it's best if she isn't left alone."  
"What do you mean?" He asks.  
"Well I found her in the lounge curled up with a cushion." I explain.  
"Right."  
"I think she gets very depressed when she's alone." I say.  
"Well it's only natural. Both her parents were killed at once and she became like us. Neither are very joyful events."  
"No." I agree. "So what should we do?" I ask, searching his mind for answers.  
Carlisle pauses before answering. "Well, I think it's best if we just try and keep her distracted. Until things have calmed down."

* * *

 ***Hannah's POV***

Carefully, quietly, I open the back door and sneak inside the house. I haven't been here in so long. It feels like years. The entire place is empty. Everything that belonged to me, that I wanted to keep, was moved to the Cullen's house. All the furniture has been sold, scraped or given to charity. The whole house has been left lifeless and empty.

Avoiding the living room, I slowly walk over to the staircase. I make it halfway up before I find myself sitting down, not able to go any further. The wallpaper is covered in faded rectangles where pictures used to hang. The carpets and rugs have all been removed. Leaning against the wall, my gaze drops down to the floor and I find myself falling into a daze.

"Hannah?" A distant voice speaks, reaching out to me. "Hannah?!" My vision starts blurring as I feel the world shake around me. Then suddenly, I snap awake again. Someone is shaking my shoulders.

"Hannah!"

My head shoots to the side. "Ah!" I start, standing up suddenly and losing my balance, toppling to the floor.

"Hannah, calm." Jasper says softly, catching me before I hit the floor.  
"How did you know I was here?" I ask in a weak voice.  
"Edward told me. He said I should come and get you." He explains.  
"Why?" I ask, still confused.  
"He also said you wouldn't let him anywhere near you."  
"I suppose that's-" I pause mid-sentence and run over to the window.  
Jasper's attention sparks. "What is it?" He asks.

I take a deep sniff. Blood. Human blood. Fresh human blood. And it's near here too. I take one almost apologetic look at Jasper before I bolt out of the door. He calls out after me but I ignore him. It's as if my instincts are forcing me to move, forcing me to seek out the source. I stop. A man, not far away from me, is sitting on a wooden bench. He is looking at his hands, swearing under his breath, and I can see why. He has a massive gash across his left palm which is bleeding heavily. The sight makes me sniff again. It smells so delicious. So tempting. So irresistible.

Just as I am about to leap over to him, I feel strong arms grab me. Restraining me. "No, Hannah! You can't!" Jasper says firmly.  
"Let go of me!" I scream, trying to scramble free from him. "I just want a taste!"  
"No! I won't let you."

His tight grasp increases and he picks me up, repositioning me so that he is carrying me bridal style. He takes me into the woods, seemingly unfazed by my struggling to break free. Once far enough in, he sits me down on a large rock, keeping hold of my arms to prevent me from running back to the man.

There is silence for a few minutes between us.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't let you." Jasper finally speaks in a quiet voice. "Your eyes, they're black with thirst."  
Initially I turn away, refusing to look at him. It doesn't take long for me to give up though, and soon enough I return my gaze to him. "I feel horrible. I could have...I could have killed him." I say, feeling disgusted with myself.  
"Shh, let me." Jasper says, letting go of my arms to instead hold my hands. I can feel him calming me down.  
"Can we stay here for a bit?" I ask.

He gives me a silent nod in response and positions himself so that he is sat down in front of me, still holding my hands over his shoulders.

"It's training tomorrow right?" I ask, wanting to try and move away from what just happened. To try and forget it.  
"Yes."  
"What time?"  
Jasper pauses to think. "1 o'clock." He turns his head to look at me. "Are you joining us?"  
I shrug. "I guess I have to."  
"It'll help."  
I nod. I wait for a while longer before saying "Right, come on." and then getting up. Jasper gets up too. We run back to the house and I immediately rush to Carlisle for some blood. Soon, I am sipping out of my glass of blood whilst I watch TV with the others. Jasper and I silently agreed not to tell anyone else about what happened when we returned to the house. Although, chances are that Edward has already picked up on it.


	12. Training Day

Chapter 11

 ***Knock Knock***

"Hey, Hannah? You ready?" I hear Bella shout from the other side of my bedroom door.  
Mentally, I roll my eyes. "Yeah Bella, I'll be down in a minute!" I shout back.  
I hear her huff in frustration. "Well hurry up! Jacob and the others will arrive in a few minutes!"  
"I know, I know." I say, hearing her walk away from my door. She's still out there, but waiting out on the landing now.

Flinging open my wardrobe, I pull out the outfit I had chosen last night. A plain turquoise t-shirt, black yoga leggings and a pair of converses. I tie my hair back into a half ponytail, plaiting the ponytail and letting the rest of my hair flow freely. My usual minimal make up is applied before I put on my leather gloves. Before I leave my room, I grab a thin black hoodie and wear that over my shirt half zipped up.

Upon opening my door, I spot Bella waiting by the window. I just catch her looking out towards the forest before she turns to face me. "Are you ready now, Hannah?"  
I nod. "Yes."  
"Good." She smiles. "They've just arrived."  
I look around, not sensing any change. In fact, the only bodies I can sense in the house are myself and Bella's. "Where are they?" I ask, confused.  
"Out in the forest. There's a kind of mutual area where they can meet us without breaking the treaty." She explains.  
"Oh, okay." I guess it makes sense, we couldn't exactly train in the house because of the risk of breaking the ornaments or furniture.

Bella leads me downstairs, into the kitchen and out through the back door. We soon reach what must be the mutual area, since the Cullen family are here. I know I'm not late, but I feel as though I am because everyone else is already here. It's like I am late for class and now I have walked in, everyone is staring at me until I take my place. Bella departs from my side in order to go over to Edward, leaving me on my own and making me feel even more awkward. Jasper must sense it though, as he gives me a look that is clearly suggesting I go over to him. So I do. The one thing still puzzling me is the fact that Jacob and his friends are still nowhere in sight. Bella even said they were here, and they aren't.

"Bella said the others were already here. So, where are they?" I whisper to Jasper. I don't know why I whisper; I guess I don't want to break the silence too much. It's not like our conversation is private, the only person who won't hear us is Bella because she's human and too far away.  
Jasper smirks. "Prepare yourself for a shock."  
"What? Why?"

Only then do I see it. I have to stop myself from gasping out loud. Jasper reassuringly takes my hand and I move myself so that I am behind him, peering over his shoulder. Hidden from the [massive] pack of wolves that has just appeared over the small hill in front of us.

"Oh my god...Jasper, what are they?" I ask in a whisper.  
"That one over there." He nods his head in the direction of the brown wolf. "That's Jacob."  
"Wait, what?" I pause, taking in fully what he has just pointed out to me. "So, is he half wolf?" I enquire.  
"Close." He grins. "He's a Werewolf."  
I raise an eyebrow. "Vampires and Werewolves. Seriously?" I ask, thinking back to all the stories I have read before about them.  
Jasper nods in response.  
I chuckle. "Didn't expect that." I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "But why have they come as wolves and not humans?"  
Jasper goes to answer but is interrupted by Edward. "They don't trust us enough to come in their human form." He speaks aloud.  
"They came, that's what matters." Carlisle assures him. "Welcome." He addresses the wolves. "Thank you for coming." His gaze then turns to Jasper. "Jasper, could you?"

Jasper nods and steps forward. Although I initially feel unsure of what to do, I decide to step forward with him. Looking at Jasper, he seems initially uncomfortable with both the walls and the attention. Before speaking, he looks at every face in detail, most likely making a note of their current emotions.

"There are, a few things you need to know about Newborns. First, don't let them get their arms around you, they'll crush you instantly. Second, don't always go for the obvious kill. They'll be expecting that. And you will lose."

* * *

Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself for what is about to happen.

"Okay, I think I am ready."

I say, before removing my gloves and colliding my fingers with Edward's. The wolves observe me closely, particularly when the blue light is working its way up my arms.

"They want to know what it is." Edward says to me.  
"Oh. Okay. Shall I explain?" I ask him.  
"If you like." He replies, smiling slightly.  
I nod. "Okay then. So, basically my ability is being able to temporarily have another vampire's power?" I say, sounding as though I am not sure myself. The family seem to give approving looks of my explanation, however, so I smile and say, "Yes, that sounds about right."

Now that I have Edward's power, I can hear the voices of all of the wolves in my head. I can feel the telepathic link that they use to communicate when they are in this form. It's quite a headache, actually. God knows how Edward manages all of this.

One of the wolves ask a question, but before I answer, Edward repeats it out loud so everyone else knows what has been asked. "They want to know why you are using my power."  
"Well, by being able to read minds, I can know exactly what my enemy is planning to do just before they are about to do it." I explain. As I slide my gloves back on, I look to the pack of wolves. "Anything else?" I ask.  
"Jacob wants to know why you are putting the gloves back on." Edward says aloud again.  
I turn to the wolf I know to be Jacob. "Jacob, I'm going to practice fighting with Jasper and I don't want to risk touching him since we haven't yet tried to see if I can use more than one power at a time."

I go over to where Jasper is waiting. We stand opposite each other, both poised to attack.

"You okay?" He asks calmly.  
I nod. "Just, be careful. I'm not used to fighting."  
"Don't worry." He says, but I can't help but worry when he follows that up with a smirk.

Without warning, Jasper springs forward towards me. As he closes in and goes for a hit, I step to the side with speed, moving just enough to be out of his way. He misses me, but the sheer force of him passing by knocks me onto my back. I climb back to my feet and dust myself off. This time I go for him, but he's more experienced than me and so blocks my attack with ease. Since he knows more than me, I find myself mainly blocking _his_ skill full attacks. We continue like this for a while. I am, of course, no match for Jasper, most of the time I only just manage to move out of the way of his attacks. Neither of us really have an advantage. Jasper has the necessary knowledge and I have Edward's power. Mind you, it isn't making much difference. At least, not to me. Everything we do is carried out using our full vampire speed, so it must be hard for the others to follow our movements.

From the corner of my eye, I see Emmett grinning. "Remember! You're a lot stronger than him!" He jokes.

And then, at the worst possible time, Edward's power leaves me.

 _Now what?_

Realisation has never hit me so hard. Emmett is right! If I use my newborn strength, I can over power him. If he doesn't expect it, then I might even be able to take him down. Springing back from Jasper's last attack I move myself so that I am opposite him. The second he moves to attack, I race forward and grab him forcefully by his jacket and throw him backwards into a large tree. The force of the impact causes the tree to splinter and break apart. Before he recovers I grab him again and throw him to the floor.

"Nice." I hear Emmett whisper.  
I look to the tree and the damage I have caused. "Uh oh..." Then I look back to everyone else.  
Edward smirks. "I think you did it Emmett." He says.  
Briefly I glare at Edward, then I look to Emmett with confusion. "So, you said that deliberately?" I ask.  
"I figured you needed some, motivation." He replies with a smirk before chuckling.  
"Motivation for wha-ah!"

Whilst talking to Emmett Jasper must have got back onto his feet because I suddenly felt strong hands grab me and throw me to the floor. Before I can get back up, Jasper pins me down with his arms. Our faces are inches apart, and I can feel heat rising within me.

"Remember, never turn your back on your enemy." He speaks in a way that addresses the others too, then offers his hand to help me up. I take his hand, but instead use my strength to pull him down so that now he is pinned by me.

"Yes, and never offer your aid to them either." I say, letting go of him. Chuckling, I walk over to Bella.

The next person to fight is Edward. However, after a long time of nothing really happening, it is decided that it is a draw. Then it is Esme, followed by Rosalie and Carlisle. Emmett also managed to get a second go before Carlisle decides that we have done enough for today. He thanks the wolves for joining us before they nod and leave. Despite that, Jacob comes back in his own in human form. Bizarrely, he is only wearing shorts, no shirt, so I quickly look away, feeling awkward.

Bella looks at him with a confused look. "Jake, what are you doing here?"  
"I came back to remind you that you don't need to worry about us. Ok?"  
Bella sighs a little and shrugs. "Look, I still don't think you should fight. I don't want you to get hurt."  
"Please Bella. I can look after myself."

Saying nothing more he turns back and runs off in the same direction as where the wolves went. Bella is left looking both concerned and annoyed. Silently, Edward wraps an arm around her and walks her over to his car. As they drive off together, the rest of the family head back to the house.

* * *

Looking up to the sky, I see the moon shining brightly above me, as well as the stars. All of it looks so beautiful in contrast to the dark blue of the night sky. Often I spend the night up here, lying on the roof. It's easy to get up here because there is a rather tall tree not far from my room that I can use to jump straight onto the roof. I like it because mostly the roof is flat, so I can lie down all night without being disturbed by anything other than the woodland wildlife. It's also a great place to gain inspiration for drawing, and a lovely spot for reading too. Although, lying on the roof in my pyjamas is a bit weird. I am wearing my purple lace strapped vest and a pair of turquoise silk shorts, nothing else. These days I don't have much of a use for pyjamas, after all, I don't sleep. But I still like to spend my nights in them, just to feel more...normal.

 _'The moon is a crescent today, but I've already drawn it like that before'_ I think to myself. I shift my position to try and see it from a different angle. _'Well, I suppose it looks a little different now.'_

I begin to sketch out the basis of the sky above me. I'm using my sketchbook for Art classes. I know I shouldn't really because it has nothing to do with my art classes, but I like it and I don't want to buy a new notebook to draw in at the moment.

I sense movement nearby, a body. "Will you ever leave me alone?" I huff, snapping my book shut and crossing my arms over my chest. I can still hear movement around me. "I know you're close Edward. Go away!" I shout out into the darkness. No reply, just more rustling in the trees. Someone is in there; I can smell their scent.  
"So, I leave you here as a distraction, and you run off to play happy families?" I hear a voice sneer.  
I remain where I am on the roof. "Who the hell is that?" I call out.  
"Such a shame, I thought you'd be useful." The voice is like a whisper in the wind.

Wait, useful? Why would I be- Oh no. It's _him_. Its Riley.

"See you at the battle. I'll be looking out for you."

There is a thud, the sound of him hitting the floor and running off, causing the rustling of the trees to stop and allowing them to settle again.


	13. New Found Knowledge

Chapter 12

I enter the code into my school locker, dumping my books and homework from this morning and replacing them with everything I need for this afternoon's classes: Biology, Maths and History last. The recent training, we have been doing has taken up almost all of my free time, so I haven't been doing much studying, and the end of term exams are coming up soon. Despite the fact that I will be repeating school for the rest of eternity, I want to finish my first experience of it with the best results I can, for my parents. They would have wanted to see me do well.

"Hannah!" Bella's voice breaks me from my thoughts.  
I lift my head and turn to look at her. "Bella? What's up?" I ask, closing my locker door.  
"You left your jacket in English, here." She says, holding out my jacket.  
"Thanks." I reply with a smile, gently taking it from her.  
"You coming?" She asks, gesturing with her head towards Edward as he waits for her just slightly further down the corridor.  
I shake my head no. "I'm sorry Bella, I can't."  
"No, it's okay." She replies, smiling it off. "See you back at the house?"  
"Yeah." I pause. "You're coming over?" I ask, slightly confused.  
"Well, Edward thought it would be better if I keep close to him. To protect me and stuff." She explains.  
I nod, thinking that it seems like a reasonable idea.  
"Okay. See you later!"  
Smiling, I reply. "Yes, see you later Bella." and I give a small nod to Edward.

Bella hurries back over to Edward. He briefly glances at me before they turn and leave to go to the canteen. Sighing, I leave my locker and slowly walk down the corridor in the opposite direction. After a while, the Library seems to have appeared in front of me, so I head in there. When I was human, I used to love libraries, almost as much as forests. I find them calming because they are always so quiet. Libraries are great places to go if you want to lose yourself in a different world, to forget your reality. Hopefully, no one will bother me here, and I will be able to spend some time alone. I really should come in here more often.

 ***Ring Ring***

Groaning, I close my book. The school bell has annoyingly pulled me from my fantasies, and reminded me that I still have three hours left before I can return to the comfort of the woods.

After finding Biology to be very boring, as usual, and struggling through Maths because it is overly complex, I am finally able to make my way to History. I'm glad it is my last class because it ends the day on a high note, and almost acts as an award for managing to sit through both Biology and Maths.

Jasper is already waiting in his seat when I arrive. The corner of his mouth turns into a smile as I enter the room and make my way over to my seat. Once I have sat down, I empty out my History stuff from my bag.

Jasper leans back in his chair. "Where were you at lunch?" He asks in a whisper.

I shuffle in my seat so that I'm sat up straight, but I keep my gaze focused on the pen I am fiddling with. "I was busy." I whisper back.

He nods and leans forward again as the teacher enters and greets the class. I might be wrong but I think that he isn't happy that I haven't told him where I was. We both listen to the teacher as she goes through the mark scheme as well as what we need to do in order to get certain grades in this new essay task. Naturally, everyone moans at the thought of another essay to write, me included. From the corner of my eye, I see that Jasper is keeping an eye on me as I take down notes and start writing my essay plan. Then, after a few minutes, he passes me a note.

 _Are you going to need help later?_

 _No, I'm fine._

 _Sure?_

I think for a minute before writing my reply.

 _Maybe..._

He smiles as he reads my reply then folds the note up and places it in his pocket.

* * *

 ***Knock Knock***

"Come in." I call. Hearing the person enter, I raise my head to look at them. "Oh Edward, this is a surprise. What's up?" I ask.  
"Carlisle wants you to come downstairs."  
"Why?"  
"To begin developing your ability." He explains.  
Closing my workbook, I get up from where I'm sat on the floor. "I thought he was going to let me do that in my own time." I say.  
"We thought it would be helpful, for the battle."  
I raise an eyebrow. "We? So, you and Carlisle?"  
"And Jasper."  
Of course. Of course Jasper is involved. "Jasper's helping?"  
"He has the knowledge. Plus, we need him to test a theory."  
"Theory?"  
"Multiple use of powers, Carlisle will explain. Jasper also wants to watch the...results." Edwards smirks a little as he says the last part.  
I narrow my gaze at him. "Right, that's it!" I storm over to him and then stop right in his face, hands on my hips. "I've had enough! Enough of you, and everyone else, making jokes about me!"  
Edward looks uncomfortable at my sudden outburst. "Jokes?"  
"Don't act so innocent! You think I haven't noticed? _You_ , and everyone else, always smirking and laughing at me. All when you think I can't see you!" I shout.  
Edward looks away from me briefly and sighs. "I won't tell you-"  
I remove one of my gloves. "Tell me, or I'll be forced to use your power against you!"  
"I won't tell you anything." He says sternly. "Unlike the others, I believe you should work it out for yourself."  
Lowering my hand, I put my glove back on. "Go on..."  
"I'll only give you clues though, and you're only getting three."  
I shrug. "Fair enough, I suppose."  
Edward moves forward so that he can close the door behind him. "First, it isn't just about you. It's about one of us too."

Although I want to speak, I allow him to continue.

"Second, one of us cares about you more than you might think. Third, one of us, when you're not around but mentioned in conversation, either walks out of the room or turns away as if feeling awkward."  
I take a second to process everything he has just said. "Wow, I...I wasn't expecting that."  
"It's important that none of the others find out I have told you this."  
I nod. "Okay."  
Edward opens the door and moves towards the hallway. He turns back to me. "So, are you coming downstairs?" He asks.  
"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute." I say, smiling slightly to reassure him.

Nodding in understanding, he leaves, closing the door behind him. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm in shock. I mean, it's great that I now have some more information about what is going on behind my back. Edward's hints haven't been the most helpful, because he has left me with a mystery to solve. For all I know, he could be talking about three different people!

* * *

"Right, so, how do I do this?" I ask, looking to Carlisle. Edward and Jasper are watching from the corner.  
"Well..." Carlisle says, scratching the back of his neck.  
"You don't know, do you?" I ask him.  
"Hannah it's not something I'm familiar with."  
"Brilliant." I reply sarcastically.  
Ignoring my sarcasm, Carlisle continues. "Okay, there are a few things that we can try. It's up to you, which ones you want to attempt."  
"What are they again?" I ask.  
"We could try the use of multiple powers at once, or extending the period of time in which you can use them?" Edward says, with both Jasper and Carlisle nodding.  
"Which one is the least painless?" I joke.

 _Oh shit, he's actually considering it._

"I was kidding! H-Honestly, I'd rather not know." I say nervously. "I'll try multiple powers though."  
Carlisle smiles. "Wonderful. Edward, Jasper." Both of them step forward in response.

Removing both of my gloves, I move towards Edward. However, he shakes his head no and so I change direction and go to Jasper instead. As usual, I flinch at the initial shock and then wait for the gold colour to fade away.

"God I hope this isn't painful." I say under my breath before reaching out to Edward. Gently, I press my fingers to his and wait. And then wait some more. Nothing.  
"Interesting." I hear Carlisle say as he makes notes.  
"Weird, I can only use one power at a time." I look at my hands. "And when I am, I can touch anyone else without effect?"  
"It seems so." Says Carlisle.  
I shrug. "Cool, I can live with that. What else can we test?"  
"Let's finish for now. We can try more later. Well done Hannah." Carlisle praises.  
"Sure."

I run back up to my room, practically jumping onto my chaise lounge. The night is drawing in, so I'll be able to go onto the roof soon. I need to try and solve this mystery that Edward has given me, as well as ponder over why he made me use Jasper's power first earlier.


	14. A Magic Moment Ruined by the Past

**Hi all! Before you read this chapter I just want to let you know that there won't be another update until the 27th of February due to all the revision I need to do for my mock exams.** **I'm sorry, but it has to be done! So, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and will be able to wait until the next in 2 weeks time!**

Chapter 13

Finally, I am almost ready to make my regular night time journey up to the roof. I emptied my schoolbag and then re-filled it with my notebook, pencils, and as much of my homework as I could cram in. Only now, as I scan through my books, do I realise I'm missing something. In order to make a start on my History Essay, I need a book to help me write it, but I don't have the right sort with me at the moment.

 _Wait, Carlisle has lots of old books in his study. Maybe I can sneak downstairs and borrow one? Everyone will be in their rooms by now anyway._

Picking up my schoolbag, I sling it over my shoulder and leave my room. As quietly as I can, I creep downstairs, trying my best to avoid any creaky floorboards. I go down the stairs, and head through the lounge towards Carlisle's study.

 ***Crash***

"Ouch!" I hiss, even though it didn't hurt. Old habits die hard I guess. Somehow I had managed to kick the coffee table. Not only kick it, but also knock it over, sending a whole load of stuff flying onto the floor.

"I really hope no-one is coming to investigate that." I whisper to myself.

Thankfully I manage to make it the rest of the way to Carlisle's office in one piece. Just. Once inside, I go straight to the nearest shelf, scanning through the books for something that might help. No luck.

 _Hmm, maybe a different shelf_ I think to myself before turning around.

Guess who is sat at Carlisle's desk.

"What are you doing down here?" I hiss, knowing that this isn't his usual routine.  
"I _was_ reading. What about you?" He asks.  
"Borrowing a book." Briefly I look back through to the lounge, then return my eyes to him. "Possibly destroying the lounge..."  
Jasper chuckles. "I heard."  
"Have you been sat there the entire time?" I ask, suddenly feeling a rush of embarrassment.  
Jasper smirks. "Yes, I have."

 _Bloody hell, I'm only wearing my pj's. The same ones from last night too! Damn, I need to buy a dressing gown._

Jasper gets out from Carlisle's chair and walks over to me. "What sort of book are you after, ma'am?" He asks, smiling.  
I look around at the shelves, then back to him. "One that will help me with History."  
Jasper raises an eyebrow. "History?"  
"Well..." I look away from his eyes. "I couldn't find you, that's all."  
"Do you still need help?" He asks.

 _Yes! This is my chance! I can interrogate him and see what he knows about Edward's riddle._

I look back into Jasper's eyes with a smile. "Yes. I have a lot of homework so I could do with a _little_ help."  
Jasper nods. "Okay then."  
Walking over to the door, I am about to leave before I turn back to him. "Oh, and bring all the books and stuff you need in a bag, okay?"

Although Jasper looks confused by my words, he agrees anyway. Passing by me, he speeds upstairs. I follow, walking so that he has time to grab his things. Then, I go into my room and wait there for him. Within seconds, Jasper knocks and enters.

He looks around. "Where shall I sit?" He asks.  
I grin. "Wherever you like, if you want. But you'll be alone if you do."  
Again, Jasper looks at me with a confused expression.  
"Well, I don't spend all of my time in here. Come on, follow me."

Making sure my bag is secure on my shoulders, I swing open my balcony doors and jump to the nearest tree. Climbing up the tree with a slightly different route than usual, an easier route. Jasper stays close behind, following my movements exactly. Once on the roof, we settle on the slope, the same spot I always pick, and start working together on our homework. Well, to be honest is was more us working, and he helping me when I get stuck. Apart from that, we're silent the whole time. When we finish, we push our homework to the side, and lye in silence for a while.

For once, it's me who breaks it. "Jasper?" I say softly.  
"Yes?" He replies, turning his head to look at me.  
"How do you know so much? About the Newborns, I mean." I turn my head to look at him too, but he switches his gaze to the sky, keeping it fixed there.  
"I didn't have quite the same...upbringing as my adopted siblings." He sits up and rolls up his sleeve. Quizzically, I sit up too and peer closely at his arm. "Are, are they bites?"  
"Hmph, battle scars. All the training the confederate army gave me was useless against the Newborns. Still, I never lost a fight."  
I pause for a minute, remembering back to when he told me how old he was. "Was this during the Civil war?" I guess, after all, my knowledge of American History is still very limited.  
He nods, rolling his sleeve back down and focusing again on the sky. "I was the youngest major in the Texas cavalry, without having seen any real combat. Until..."  
"Until..." I prompt.  
"'Till I met a certain immortal... Maria..."

 ***Jasper's Flashback* things in '...' Are present, things being said in "..." is flashback convo. ***

 _'I was riding back to Galveston after evacuating a column of women and children...when I saw her... Southern gentleman that I was, I offered my aid.'_  
"Mmm. Lovely, and an officer."  
"You'd better do it Maria. I can never stop once I've started."  
 _'I was confused, but at the same time, mesmerized by Maria.'_  
"What's your name soldier?"  
"Major Jasper Whitlock, Ma'am."  
"I hope you survive; you may be of great help."

 ***Present***

"She was creating an army?" I ask.  
"They were very common in the south, brutal battles for territory. But Maria wanted them all. And she had me, I was her second in command. My _abilities_ , served her well. I trained her Newborns but she never let them live beyond their first year... It was my job to dispose of them."  
Watching him speak, I realise that he is working through painful memories.  
"I thought what we had was love. But I was just her puppet, she pulled the strings. I didn't know there was another way, until I met Alice. She brought me to the Cullens and this new life."

Still, Jasper is studying the stars. But there is a glint in his eyes that tells me he's feeling pain. Shifting my body so that I am pressed against his side, I gently wrap my arm around his and lean my head on his shoulder.

"Where is Alice now?" I ask. I've never heard of her before, so she must be long gone by now, but I still want to know.  
"Not long after we joined the 'family', Alice and I, we began to fall out. We had lots of fights and...we split. She left here and we've never heard from her since." He explains.  
"Sorry Jasper, I didn't mean to, I... I-" I drift off, not sure what to say to him. He moves his head to the side, allowing him to look down to me.  
He smiles. "That's quite alright Ma'am."  
"At least you have a history, even if you're not proud of it..." I say, my expression dampening.

I look away from Jasper and unwrap my arm from his. Before I stand up, I collect my books and stuff them into my bag. Jasper, clearly realising that we are done for the night, does the same. After packing up my things, I sling my bag onto my back, shuffling slightly to make it more comfortable. Then I look to Jasper. He too has his bag over his shoulder, and now he is looking at me.

"We should head back inside." I say, taking one last look at the night sky above me. I sense Jasper move closer to me, and when I lower my gaze, I find his face inches away from my own. A smile is tugging at his lips, and I can see the sincerity in his eyes. Gently, he takes hold of my forearms and pulls me even closer to him. My eyes stay locked with his, like magnets attracting each other. "Jasper..." I whisper, but I'm silenced by the sensation of his lips on mine. I close my eyes at the contact, and melt into the soft kiss. A whole cocktail of emotions rush through my body: shock, nerve, lust, joy. So many emotions all at once, all being sent his way. My hands slowly creep up his body, finding his cheeks. I clasp my palms around them, deepening the kiss and enhancing everything. The entire moment, is magic.

* * *

Bella is waiting in the car park for me with Edward when I arrive at school the next day. The weather is grey but dry, so I am wearing blue jeans, a black vest top and a blue velvet shirt over the top which is unbuttoned. A scarf is tied around my neck and I am wearing black ankle boots on my feet. My hair is hanging loose.

Bella calls out to me as I approach her and Edward. "Hey Hannah! Today's the big day!"  
"Big day?" I ask, unsure of what she is talking about. My mind is still wandering back to last night, backtracking to that exact moment. Of course, I have to snap out of it whilst Edward is around. After all, he might snoop in my mind.  
"The maths test you have? The first of like 1 million exams." She says like it is the most obvious thing in the world.  
"Oh, right yeah." I reply.  
Bella looks at me with concern in her eyes. "You ok? You seem, not quite with it?"  
"I'm fine, really." I say as reassuringly as I can. "Can we go now? I need to get to my locker."  
She nods. "Sure."

When I get to my locker, Bella parts with a goodbye and then carries on down the hall with Edward. I'll see her at lunch, after History. First though, I need to ace, or at least pass this Maths exam. Then struggle through Biology. _Fun..._

* * *

I arrive at History almost half an hour later than I am supposed to. In Biology, we had to carry out a variety of experiments, and one involved the use of blood. Worried that I might attack or kill one of my classmates out of bloodlust, I had to think on my feet and get out of there fast. However, that led me to being stuck in the Nurse's office for ages.

Quietly, I open the door to class and slide inside.

"Hannah? Where have you been?" My teacher asks sternly.  
"I-I was in the medical office Miss. I have a note if you want to see it."  
She sighs. "Hand it over."

After fumbling around trying to find the note in my bag, I finally locate it and hand it over to her. She nods in approval and dismisses me. I take it back from her and walk over to my seat. I hate being late, people always stare at you until you sit down in a way that makes it seem like you've just committed some awful crime. Of course, Jasper starts questioning me as soon as I sit down.

"It was in Biology. Sir said we were going to do...blood examinations." I explain to him.  
"What happened?" He asks, looking worried that I might have killed someone. Honestly, you'd think he'd trust me by now. Smiling, I tell him my genius escape route.  
"Don't worry, I faked a faint and was taken to the office before anything could happen."  
He chuckles. "Smart thinking."

 ***Ring Ring, Ring Ring***

"Quiet, please! Carry on with your work whilst I answer the phone." The teacher says as she hurries over to the ringing phone. Naturally, the class just begins talking, ignoring their work. A few seconds later, she raises her head to scan the class, before setting eyes on the boy next to me.

"Jasper?" She says.  
"Yes?"  
"There's a phone call for you in the office."  
He nods, "Okay."

I watch as Jasper packs away his things and leaves the room. He doesn't come back. He isn't anywhere at lunch. In fact, I don't see him for the rest of the day.

* * *

 _Jasper POV_

 ***At the Cullen's house***

Although reluctant to leave Hannah in History, I do so because Carlisle has summoned me back to the house due to an emergency. The journey is short, but the closer I get to the house, the more emotion I can feel radiating from it. And then, there's the scent.

"Carlisle?" I call as I enter the house.  
"Jasper, can you come in here?" I hear him call from the lounge.  
"What's the matter?" I ask as I approach the room.  
Carlisle is waiting for me in the doorway with a grim expression. "It's why I called you back here from school. You need to look in the lounge."

Carlisle seems more worried than usual, that's how I know something has happened. I follow him into the lounge and instantly pick up the scent. A scent I know. That's when I see her, sitting on the edge of the sofa.

"Hello Jasper."  
"Alice?"


	15. Rising Tensions

Chapter 15 

***Hannah POV***

I don't know what is going on. All I know at the moment is that Jasper has not returned to History, and it is almost over. Something must be going on, something very serious. Why else would he not come back?

Even when I finish school and return to the house, I can feel the tension in the air. I'm home earlier than normal because I wanted to know what is going on, and I was worrying about Jasper. The only conclusion I could draw as to why he has been gone for so long, is that he must of gone home. Yet, despite my seemingly unexpected arrival, Emmett is right there when I open the door. I guess someone caught onto my scent and sent him ahead to try and prevent me from entering the house.

"Hey Hannah." Emmett says with a sigh.  
"Hey. What's going on?" I ask, trying to look past him into the house.  
"Look." Emmett says firmly but softly. He puts his hands on my shoulders. "Hannah, do you think you could come back in a few hours?"  
"A few hours? What? Why?"  
Emmett sighs. "Please? For me?"

A few seconds pass as I consider it, but eventually I give a defeated nod. Turning on my heels, I wander off into the woods. The one place where hours feel like minutes.

* * *

Having done what Emmett said, and stayed in the woods for a few hours, I decide it is probably okay for me to go back now. I didn't wander too far away, only enough for my scent to disappear and allude them into thinking I had run off somewhere far away. Now I'm back at the front door of the house, wanting to know what is so important that it means I shouldn't be around.

However, the moment I step through the door, someone else stops me in my tracks. This time it is Edward.

He gives me a stern look. "I thought Emmett told you to stay away for a while?"  
"He did, but I live here too and I want to know what's going on." I reply, matching his stern tone. Hoping my sense of authority will cause him to back down.  
Edward glances behind him, then back to me. "It's not a good idea for you to be here."  
"Why not?" I place my hands on my hips. "I'm so tired of everyone keeping things from me!" I snap, surprising him slightly.  
"I don't think Jasper would want you here."  
The mention of his name freezes me on the spot. So it is something serious, and something to do with Jasper. "Jasper? Is that what this is about?"  
Edward falls silent for a moment. "He's...Well, there is a complication."  
"Complication?"  
Edward ignores my question. "Perhaps you could stay with Bella for the night? Until we've sorted it?" He suggests. Of course, I'm not having any of it.  
"Ok, but I still need to go inside to get my stuff in order to go to Bella's."  
Edward sighs. "You're not going to give up, are you?"  
I tilt my head to the side. "You're the mind reader. You tell me."  
He shoots me a sharp look, then seems to remember something and relaxes. "Could you at least try and be calm? For Jasper's sake?"  
"That depends on what the problem is."

Before he can say anything else, I push past him, making a beeline for the lounge. He doesn't try to stop me. When I reach the lounge, I see that everyone is here. All of them are dotted around the room, some sitting, some standing. A girl I don't recognise is sat near Jasper. She looks small in size, with short brown hair. She reminds of a pixie. Jasper glances at me but then looks down to the floor. Now I definitely know something is up. He never drops eye contact so quickly between us.

"Hi there. You must be the newest family member." The girl says, a big smile spread across her face. "Well, I'm not technically-"  
"I'm Alice."

Pain. Instant pain. I feel as though someone has just punched right through me. It was only yesterday that Jasper had told me about her, and how she's here! God, I'm so stupid.

"I-I have stuff to do." Although stumbling over my words, I manage to get out something understandable before hurrying over to the stairs.

"She's a weird one, isn't she Jazz?"

Hearing her speak like that makes me glance back to them. I wish I hadn't. She's moved closer to him. Now her arms are around his neck and she's kissing his cheek. He doesn't even try to push her away. He just smiles, chuckles, and puts his arm around her. It takes all my effort but I manage to hold in my rage until I get upstairs. Chucking my bag on the floor of my room, I kick it. Hard.

 _I'm so dumb for thinking Jasper even liked me! I bet that kiss meant nothing to him. He doesn't even bother to look at me now that he's got her again. I can't believe I let myself fall for him!_

* * *

The next day, things go from bad to worse. The sun is shining brightly, so none of us can go to school, which means I'm stuck at home with 'Alice'. God knows why but Japser insisted she stay with us, and that we all do our best to make her feel welcome. Yeah, I'll make her feel welcome to walk out of the bloody door!

Everyone is home, even Carlisle. I haven't left my room today but I can sense all of them down there. Playing happy families. To be honest, I'm hoping to be forgotten. I'm not dressed. I'm sat in cow print pajama trousers and a stripey woolen jumper. My hair is loose and I have put on simple make up, just in case I do have to face anyone today.

 ***Knock Knock***

 _Great…_

"Hannah?" Edward says as he cautiosuly opens the door.  
"What do you want?" I reply in a stroppy manner.  
"Do you need anything?"  
"Like what?"  
"Blood?"  
I groan. "Edward, I'm fine!" I shout.  
"No, Hannah, you're not. You aren't thinking straight."  
Sighing, I drop my head. "I know, I know. Sorry, Edward." I say quietly. Thinking for a moment, I look back up to him. "I have an idea. But, I need your help."  
"Me?" He asks, looking shocked.  
"Look, I was just testing you for something Edward. I'm not mad with you anyway."

Intrigued, he comes into my room properly, closing the door behind him. He crouches down in front of me. "What do you need me for?" He asks.  
"It's something I've been thinking of. To enhance my powers."  
"I'm listening..."  
"Okay, so what if I could use my power on someone else?"  
"What do you mean by that?" He asks, looking puzzled.  
"Like, if I took your power, and then somehow...let someone else use it too? Maybe through touch?" "Impossible." He dismisses, shaking his head.  
"We don't know that-"  
"We don't know much about your abilities. Besides, I know why you're doing this."  
Growling, I shove him away from me. "You know nothing!"  
Getting up, he dusts himself off. "Fine, I'll leave you to it then."  
"No!" I shout. "Edward please." I jump up and grab his arm. "I'm sorry. Please. Will you try and help me? I promise to be nicer to you."

It takes a few minutes, but he agrees and we slowly begin working out what we can do. To see if my idea will really work.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! I am so sorry that this chapter has been so much later that I originally said. Currently things are ramping up in college, and my exams are growing ever closer so it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to find time to write. :( However, I shall try my best to update regularly for you all, because I am enjoying this story and I want you to enjoy it too! ^-^**

 **P.S I know it's short. Bare with me, the next one shall be longer!**


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